


Red Fish, Blue Fish

by bltbackwards



Series: One Fish, Two Fish [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: (because that’s what’s cannon), Alex and water filled tanks deserve to have a positive relationship, Alternate Universe, Everyone's a bit of a gay disaster, F/F, Fluff, ambiguously obvious background Supercorp, and a smattering of hurt/comfort, with a sprinkle of humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2018-10-27 15:45:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10812033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bltbackwards/pseuds/bltbackwards
Summary: Alex Danvers is the head marine biologist and veterinarian at the National City Aquarium, where Maggie Sawyer is the new night guard. One chance encounter leads to two, which leads to meetings not at all by chance.OR The one where Gertrude is a dolphin, Maggie’s got a prosthetic leg, Alex is a brilliant nerd that keeps food in her lab coat, Kara is the literal ray of sunshine everyone adores, and Lena is a genius who loves marine animals.





	1. Don’t Flipp-‘er Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't get enough of these nerds. Send help.

Maggie Sawyer had seen her fair share of weird occurrences. Her time on the National City Police Force had placed her in the same vicinity as naked drunkards, crazed druggies, and legitimate tinfoil hat wearers, but somehow the scene before her at this very moment trumped all.  
  
Maggie had just finished a patrol around the aquarium, bored of sitting and watching the same static camera feeds from her new job as a night security guard. The job was dull and uneventful, but work was work, and there weren’t many jobs going around for a former NCPD Detective with one and half legs. Most nights she’d walk the many paths bordered with giant tanks filled with sea life and feel sorry for herself, but tonight was different.  
  
Tonight, Maggie rounded the corner that opened into the expansive area which held the aquarium’s open ocean exhibit and stumbled upon a woman talking animatedly into her phone.  
  
“Okay, but you can’t just scale up the size of the wings linearly and have them be functional. It’s simple physics, Kara. If you take, say, a one-foot duck and scale it to a ten-foot duck, then you’d need wings that are roughly 100, not ten, times larger to fly,” ranted the woman, pacing back and forth in front of the massive tank.  
  
The other woman was clearly invested in her conversation and had yet to notice the security guard that entered the mammoth room. Maggie grinned and leaning against a nearby railing, keeping a respective distance away. This was the most exciting thing to happen on the job to date, hell if she was going to interrupt her only form of entertainment. The Aquarium’s logo stitched onto the loose lab coat the other woman wore was indication that she worked here, but Maggie wasn’t sure what a scientist was doing so late after hours.  
  
“Sure, _you_ don’t need wings to fly because of—” the woman scowled and jammed her free hand into the pocket of her lab coat. “When did we say that these were alien lifeforms? Obviously, they’re from Earth.” The scientist pulled out what looked like a Twizzler from her pocket and took an absent bite. “Why? Because last I checked ducks and horses were from Earth.”  
  
Maggie suppressed a chuckle as it became apparent what the scientist was arguing about.  
  
“Kara! You can’t just bring _that_ up every time you think you’re losing an argument.” The woman waved around a Twizzler like a sword in the empty air around her. “Okay, no. You know what? I’m not bringing potstickers tomorrow,” huffed the scientist before taking another bite of her candy weapon.  
  
There was a stretched pause on the scientist’s end, and Maggie could almost imagine the long, pleading speech that this Kara was delivering.  
  
“I’m not being unreasonable. You’re the one who brought up the thing we agreed never to talk about.” The scientist shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “If you really need to, we’ll continue this later. I still haven’t seen Fluffy yet.” The woman nodded. “Yes. Tomorrow. No. Sister or not, you don’t get any potstickers. Yes.” The scientist nodded through a list of affirmative ‘Yeps’ and ‘Uh-huhs’ before smiling and ending the call with a warm “Love you too.”  
  
Maggie cleared her throat, the sound bouncing off the vast empty space of the room. The other woman whirled around to face her, brandishing the half eaten Twizzler in her hand like a knife. “Steady on,” grinned Maggie, raising her hands in mock surrender.  
  
The scientist visibly relaxed. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone.”  
  
“Me neither…” trailed off Maggie. At the closer distance, the guard made out cursive stitching above the scientist’s lab coat chest pocket. “…Danvers,” she acknowledged.  
  
The other woman pocketed the high-fructose treat in her hand before extending it to the former detective. “Dr. Alex Danvers, Head Marine Biologist.”  
  
Maggie greeted the scientist with a firm handshake. “Maggie Sawyer, night security guard,” she said with a smile. “So, what’s a hot shot marine doctor doing at,” the guard glanced down at her watch, “one in the morning? I’m sure the logistics of horse-sized ducks and duck-sized horses are not that important.”  
  
Alex blushed, the red flush only barely visible in the glowing blue light of the tanks. “That was my sister. She was calling to check up on Fluffy, but our conversation got sidetracked.” Maggie arched her eyebrow in question. Alex chuckled. “My sister gets to name most of the animals here. She claims I’m too uncreative. Fluffy is our new sea turtle. She had a rocky start, but it’s her first day in the open ocean exhibit.” Alex’s eyes lit up and pointed to a spot behind the security guard. “There she is.”  
  
Maggie turned and glanced upwards to see a turtle swim lazily by. “What’s—” started the former detective, but cut herself off. She was all too aware of question she was about to ask. It had been uttered both behind her back and straight to her face by everyone from curious kids to snide adults.  
  
“What’s wrong with her flipper?” supplied Alex. Maggie nodded. “Fluffy is a trooper. She got her right front flipper entangled in a buoy line. When we found her, we were surprised she hadn’t drowned yet. The line had tightened around her flipper and cut off all circulation. It was essentially a dead appendage when we got to her. I had to amputate. We almost lost her many times due to the trauma of the operation, but I’m happy to say she’s healthy now. She’s wearing one of L Corp’s newest prosthetic designs.”  
  
Maggie glanced down at her own right leg, hidden by the starched pant leg of her uniform. The silicone socket that joined flesh with metal seemed to itch fiercely. “Oh,” She chased away her thoughts about her own limb and swallowed hard. “I didn’t know L Corp made mechanical turtle flippers.”  
  
“Lena Luthor supervises all sorts of prosthetics: human and animal. The Aquarium and L Corp have a close relationship. It helps that this aquarium stays _afloat_ due to her generous donations,” Alex snickered at her own pun before continuing. “Lena enjoys the unique challenges of designing prosthetics to fit a wide variety of marine anatomy and the logistics of creating a mechanical device that spends its entire functional lifetime in an underwater environment.” Alex gazed fondly at the many marine species swimming around her. “We, and the animals here, are quite lucky to have an engineering genius on our side.”  
  
Maggie glanced around her, taking in the 360 degree view the open ocean room offered with newfound interest. “Doctor, Head Scientist, _and_ buddy-buddy with one of the most influential CEOs in National City? Your resume is shaping up to be quite impressive, Danvers.”  
  
Alex fought off another blush. “I’m much shorter in person.”  
  
“You’re taller than me, from where I’m standing,” said the security guard with a wry grin, gesturing to her own shorter stature.  
  
Alex opened her mouth to reply, but a loud buzzing from her phone interrupted. “Shit,” cursed the scientist lightly as she read the text. “Sorry, I’ve got a patient that needs me.”  
  
“See you around, Danvers!” called Maggie to the quickly retreating figure. Alex spared a quick wave as she ran off to save another aquatic animal, lab coat billowing around her like a cape.

* * *

 

“…I did have my doubts about the new titanium blend used in the pylon, but I’m sure the integrity and mobility will continue to endure, especially with the new polyethylene-silicone material. Thank god we got _that_ sorted, I was about to give up on the mixture when all the data seemed to…” Lena Luthor continued to rattle on enthusiastically about the initial success of the new prosthetic flipper implemented on Fluffy the Turtle.  
  
Alex barely registered what the L Corp CEO was saying, pushing her meal aimlessly around on her plate. Kara, on the other hand, seemed enamoured at every word of technical knowledge that Lena offered.  
  
“…But enough about work,” reprimanded Lena, taking a bite of the home cooked meal, attempt number six, that Kara somehow managed not to burn or destroy in any other way. Lena glanced up at the clock on Kara’s dining room wall and let out a light, scoffing laugh. “I’ve spoke far too long. Please, you know you can stop me at anytime. I can get ridiculously wrapped up in the workings of gears and sprockets.”  
  
Kara laughed nervously. “Oh, no. It’s fine,” she reassured, pushing her glasses up. “I think it’s fascinating.”  
  
“That’s very kind of you,” Lena smiled at the reporter. She turned to face her other dinner companion. “I’ve spoken with Kara quite recently, but how are you doing, Alex?”  
  
The scientist continued to prod her food, her mind miles away from her physical location at Kara’s dinner table. _Perhaps the risk of septicemia would decrease if…_ “Alex!” a louder, more insistent call of her name snapped the doctor from her internal musings.  
  
“Yes?” hummed Alex to her sister. Kara jerked her head towards Lena with a stern raise in her eyebrow. Alex turned towards the CEO apologetically. “Sorry.”  
  
“It’s no offense,” said Lena, taking a sip of her wine, hand poised with the class of her upbringing. “I was just asking how you were doing.”  
  
Alex speared a piece of chicken with her fork, but left it on her plate. “Fine, fine,” hummed the scientist noncommittally.  
  
Lena arched her eyebrow, tilting her chin slightly off center, wine glass resting loosely in her hand balancing out the gesture. “I find that hard to believe. You haven’t spoken a word since we sat down.”  
  
Alex set down her fork and took a healthy drink of wine. “I had a patient today presenting abnormal inflammation and bruising post op. She came in with a liver tumour at the base of the lobe. I managed to remove it without any complications, but now…” Alex trailed off and looked dolefully into the pile of untouched food. She sighed and straightened herself. “Sorry. I’m being such a downer.”  
  
“No, you—” started to reassure Kara, but Alex continued.  
  
“Hate to dine and dash, but I think I’m going to go back to my place. Leave you two some alone time. I’ve had my daily dose of third-wheeling,” added Alex with a wry smile.  
  
Kara blushed bright red. “I’m not—You’re not—We’re—” spluttered her sister, reaching for her glasses and ducking her head down. “…Friends,” ended Kara pitifully, her eyes refusing to raise from the now very fascinating spot on the ground. Lena cast a mischievous half smile towards the spluttering reporter that Alex chose to ignore.  
  
“Yes, well, regardless, I’m heading out. We’ll meet up some other time,” Alex grabbed her coat from off the back of her chair and made for the door. “I’ll keep you updated on Fluffy’s new flipper,” nodded the scientist towards Lena.  
  
The CEO smiled in response. “Please do.”  
  
Kara stood up hastily, her chair almost tipping towards the ground. “Wait!” The reporter held up a shy ‘one second’ gesture to Lena before dashing after her sister. “You can’t leave me alone,” whispered Kara in a hiss.  
  
Alex glanced at the CEO patiently waiting at the dinner table before closing Kara’s apartment door and leaving the two sisters in the hallway. “You hang out with Lena all the time. You’ll be fine.” Alex squeezed Kara’s shoulder in comfort. “I, on the other hand am going to eat ice cream and hope Vasquez doesn’t call with any bad news. Also, remind me to get something for Vasquez. She’s the only tech that could stay for overnight observation.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah… Sure, me and Lena? We’re good. We’re fine. We’re excellent even!” Alex cast her sister a knowing glance. Kara took a steadying breath and smoothed out her clothes. “Susan likes chocolate cupcakes,” offered the young Danvers sister.  
  
Alex gathered Kara in a hug. “Thanks. Don’t worry about me. Now, get back in there. You shouldn’t leave a lady waiting,” said the scientist, a teasing smile gracing her lips.

* * *

 

“Ah, fuck,” cursed Alex. She tried the door again, but no luck. It remained stubbornly locked without a key card.  
  
Alex _had_ gone home after dinner with Kara and Lena. She _had_ sat down on her couch with a pint of ice cream and all intensions of binge watching whatever looked remotely interesting on Netflix. But not half an hour in, she got the insatiable need to _have_ to go to the aquarium. Upon arriving, Alex realized she’d left her key card at home. Or perhaps clipped to one of her many lab coats hanging into her office. Or… well, it didn’t matter where it was, if it wasn’t on her person. Vasquez was probably sleeping, taking small naps in between measured observation periods. Alex reached for her phone, thumb hovering over Susan’s contact. The scientist sighed. She was going to need to more than a few chocolate cupcakes to placate the veterinary tech.  
  
“Hey!” Alex’s head darted up from her phone screen as a bright spot light was added to the dim overhead one. The scientist squinted against the glare of the incoming beam, just making out the figure behind it dressed in a finely pressed security guard uniform.  
  
Alex tucked away her phone and held up her hands in a show of surrender. “Forgot my card,” called the scientist to the approaching guard.  
  
“Danvers?” The security guard clicked off the beam of light and holstered her torch.  
  
“Hey you.” The scientist lowered her hands and grinned. “Maggie, right?”  
  
The former detective smiled and nodded. “Yeah, that’s me. Hadn’t seen you ranting about hypothetical duck-related issues in a few days, thought you might’ve gotten a life,” needled Maggie playfully.  
  
“Ha. Ha,” said Alex humorously. “For the record, I will vehemently defend fighting a horse-sized duck over the alternative any day.” The scientist crossed her arms and glared at the locked door in front of her. “No, I’ve got a patient I need to check up on and I forgot my key card.”  
  
“You didn’t want to get any sleep first?”  
  
“Tried to,” sighed Alex, running a hand through her hair.  
  
Maggie’s eyes roved over the dishevelled biologist. Alex was wearing long, plaid pajama bottoms and a t-shirt depicting a kitten with the words ‘Cation: an ion with _paws_ -itive charge’ rested under a hastily thrown on leather jacket.  
  
The scientist squirmed under Maggie’s gaze. Alex wasn’t planning on meeting up with anyone but Vasquez tonight, who was well accustom to the veterinarian’s late night comfort-over-style wardrobe. She especially was not planning to meet up with Maggie, the night guard who starched and ironed her uniform and never let her tie bar move from it’s perfectly horizontal bearings. And man, did Alex appreciate a well-maintained, fitted uniform. She swallowed uneasily. _Did it just get hot out here?_  
  
The security guard’s expression softened and she smiled warmly. “You care a lot, don’t you?”  
  
“Ehm… Yeah,” stumbled Alex, pulling her mind away from her straying thoughts.  
  
“Well,” started Maggie, clipping the universal key card off her utility belt, “Don’t let me be the one to keep a doctor from her patients.” The night guard waved her card in front of the sensor and the door unlocked with a beep and a flash of green light. Maggie opened the door and gestured Alex in.  
  
“Thanks, I owe you.”  
  
“Just doing my job,” grinned the former detective. Propping the door open with her foot, Maggie produced a pen and a business card from her chest pocket. “But I _would_ accept a drink.” The night guard scribbled down her personal cell number and handed it to the now very flustered scientist.  
  
Alex took the card from Maggie’s fingers, surprised at the steadiness of her hand. Because it was just dawning on her that— _oh_. Maggie Sawyer just asked her out for drinks. Maggie Sawyer likes girls?? Maggie Sawyer likes her????  
  
_Thoughts.exe_ _has crashed due to seemingly paradoxical and unbelievable statements._  
  
“Hope to see you soon, Danvers,” grinned the night guard as she stepped away from the door.  
  
_Reboot failed. Reason: Executable ‘GayThoughts’ has encountered Input ‘Beautiful Women.’_  
  
The door closed with a click, leaving Alex in a darkened hallway of the aquarium’s medical wing, still numbly holding the card with Maggie’s phone number on it. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone, quickly storing the information before opening up a text to Kara.  
  
_I think I was just asked out on a date._ The text sent with a whoosh and despite the late hour, the reply was almost immediate.  
  
Smol pupper: _WHAT?!_  
  
_Someone gave me their number. To call them. For drinks._  
  
Smol pupper: _WHO???!!!_  
  
A string of emojis followed before Kara’s name appeared on Alex’s caller ID. The scientist accepted the call and was met by a barrage of questions and excited squeals before she could utter a word. After a long minute, Kara calmed down and Alex could almost see her sister’s ear splitting grin. “Tell me all about it!”  
  
Alex swallowed hard, unsure of where to begin. She opened her mouth, but no words wanted to form.  
  
“Come on,” whined Kara insistently.  
  
Alex opened her mouth again. Once. Twice. Finally, a single word managed to pass by her lips. “Help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Alex and Maggie get to know each other better and introducing Gertrude the Dolphin
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!


	2. Gertrude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To wink or not to wink: that is the question, Maggie comforts Alex, and it’s a well-known fact that Alex loves puns.

“I’m not going to put a wink at the end,” groaned Alex, trying to keep her phone away from her sister’s prying hands.  
  
“But it’s flirty,” retorted Kara, doing her best to persuade Alex with her signature sad puppy dog face.  
  
Alex scoffed and chucked the pillow that had previously been thrown at her back to Kara. “Yeah, and it’s also something I would never do in a million years. You’re glad I agreed to even the smiley face.”  
  
Kara plopped down at the other end of the couch with a disappointed ‘harrumph.’ “Then send it already!”  
  
“I just don’t know. Should I say more? Less? What if I interrupt something important? Did I read the situation wrong? Wh—”  
  
“Alex,” whined the younger Danvers sister. “We just went through all of this an hour ago! Send it!”  
  
“But what if—” Alex was once again cut off as Kara lunged across the couch and plucked Alex’s phone out of her hand in a blink of an eye.  
  
“Sent!” declared Kara triumphantly. The reporter glanced over to her sister, who was clutching another pillow to her chest. “Alex?” prodded Kara tentatively.  
  
The scientist swallowed hard. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

* * *

 

Alex jolted awake at the ‘ding’ of her phone. The scientist blearily rubbed her eyes and reached across the discarded bottles and pizza boxes sitting on the coffee table, illuminated by Netflix’s ‘Are you still watching?’ screen on the TV, to grab her phone.  Kara, who was nestled into Alex’s side with a pillow-fort worth of fuzzy blankets, stirred and sat up with a yawn. “That better not be some spam mail again.”  
  
The scientist frowned. The new text was from work. “Another false alarm,” yawned Alex, stretching her neck from side to side. “Good news, though. The post op patient I went in to check in on last night is doing better. Seems like he just needed a few extra antibiotics  and some rest.”  
  
“That’s good,” muttered Kara sleepily, burrowing back into her cocoon of blankets.  
  
“You know, there’s a bed just a few feet that way.”  
  
“Don’t wanna move. ‘S all warm and comfy here,” protested Kara.  
  
“Well unlike some people, I’m not made of steel. My neck is going to be sore for days if I keep sleeping on the couch.” Alex was just about to stand up when another text came through on her phone. She looked down at her phone and swore she could feel her heart stop. Alex viciously shook the mountain of blankets containing her sister. “Kara.” A disgruntled ‘mmph’ sounded from the blanket pile. “Kara. It’s Maggie. She responded.”  
  
In a flash, Kara burst from her fortress of fuzziness scattering blankets everywhere as she rushed to peer over her sister’s shoulder. “What’d she say?” asked Kara, far too happy to have just woken up.  
  
“Friday works perfectly. I’ve got just the place in mind,” read Alex. The scientist fiddled with the front of her shirt. “Friday?! Why did we say Friday? That’s two days from now. That’s not enough time to—”  
  
Kara gently removed Alex’s phone from her grasp and set it on the table. She turned and lightly gripped her sister by the shoulders. “Hey, deep breath.” Alex complied. “Listen,” Alex raised her eyes to meet that of her sisters. “You’re going to go on that date. You’re going to be yourself and have fun. If it all goes well, I’ll get take out from your favourite food truck and we’ll celebrate by watching musicals and eating cookie dough ice cream.”  
  
“And if it doesn’t work out?”  
  
“I’ll get take out from your favourite food truck and we’ll commiserate over musicals and cookie dough ice cream.” Kara enveloped her sister in a warm hug. “It’s a win-win either way. Okay?”  
  
Alex took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah, okay.” She glanced down at her phone. “So what should I say back?”  
  
Kara backed away. “I love you, Alex. But I don’t think I can deliberate another hour over a three-word long text.”  
  
“Your job is to write,” protested Alex.  
  
“And I get paid by the word. I’m sure you’ve got this handled now. I’ll be at my place if you need me.” Kara hopped off the couch and made for the balcony. “Night, Alex.”  
  
“Goodnight.”  
  
Kara flew off into dark sky, leaving Alex in her apartment staring down at her phone. The scientist typed out a line, bit her lip in contemplation, then tentatively hit send.  
  
_It’s a date._  
  
Alex glanced around her apartment to be absolutely sure Kara had left before pressing two more buttons and hitting ‘send’ again.  
  
_;)_  

* * *

 

Alex Danvers strode into work on a Thursday morning, a perpetual smile tugging at her face and a box full of chocolate cupcakes in her hand.  
  
“Dr. Danvers!” called Vasquez the moment she stepped through the double doors of the medical wing. “Thank god you’re here. We just got in that transfer patient. There were complications during travel. She’s prepped, we need you in surgery now.”  
  
Alex frowned, her high spirits instantly dashed as she entered work mode. “Two minutes!” she called back to Vasquez. The vet technician nodded and sped away. Alex set down the box of cupcakes in the break room and grabbed a clean lab coat from her office. It was time to save a life.

* * *

 

Maggie Sawyer turned around at the sound of a knock. “Hello,” greeted Richard, one of the regular evening guards. His tie hung loose around his neck, uniform’s shirt half way unbuttoned revealing the cotton t-shirt underneath. He grasped his keys and jacket lightly in one hand, the other rested on the doorframe. “I just clocked off, but wanted to let you know that there’s…uh, a person…” Richard paused and ran a hand through his short, greying hair, unsure of how to continue. “There’s a staff member in the ladies’ washroom over by the medical center. She, uh, said she wouldn’t be long, but I didn’t want to alarm you if you do your rounds…”  
  
Maggie adjusted the tuck of her shirt before closing the collar button on her uniform. “Thanks for the heads up, Poole,” nodded the former detective with a small smile. She popped her collar and draped a tie around her neck before turning towards the small mirror propped in her locker and deftly knotting the fabric around her neck. “Have a good night.”  
  
“Night, Sawyer,” responded Richard with a nod, the jangle of his keys following him down the hallway and out the door.  
  
Maggie straightened her tie and sighed at her reflection in the mirror. The night guard clipped on her radio and slipped the heavy torch into the loop on her utility belt, a poor substitute to the NCPD issued sidearm she had become so accustom to carrying. The thought of her old job seemed to cause her missing leg to ache. Maggie bent down to massage the connection of living tissue and circuits.  
  
“Here’s to another day,” she mumbled to herself before closing her locker door.

* * *

 

Alex Danvers loved her job. She loved the science: the biology, chemistry, and physics of it all. She loved her patients: down-on-their luck sea creatures who deserved a second chance, animals she formed lasting bonds with, arguably bonds more human than some of her past human relationships. She loved the challenges: the innovation required to treat all manner of different anatomies, the mystery of piecing together aliments from a patient who cannot speak for themselves. Alex treated every case like a puzzle. An intricate web of knowns and unknowns, all untangled by the contents of her lab. Alex loved solving puzzles.  
  
What Dr. Alex Danvers did not love, was failing. And today she did just that. An animal had died on her operating table. And that, was a failure.  
  
The scientist leaned further back onto the cold, tiled wall of the bathroom. Her knees were drawn up tightly, chin resting on them. Alex took in a heavy breath, one in a string of many the past hour. The near empty flask in her hand was halfway back up to her lips when a knock sounded at the door. “Occupied,” grumbled Alex.  
  
“I’m Dete—Maggie,” the former detective stumbled, she still wasn’t used to not carrying around a badge. “I’m the night guard on shift. My colleague said you’d been in here for awhile. You okay?”  
  
Alex groaned. She couldn’t handle all this right now. She was already wallowing in feelings, why add more? “Please leave me be, Sawyer,” implored the scientist, doing her best to school the slur out of her words.  
  
“Danvers? Is that you?”  
  
_Well, shit._ Alex polished off the last mouthful of whiskey and pocketed the empty container.  
  
“Unlock the door, please. Whatever it is, we can talk about it.”  
  
“No we can’t,” mumbled the scientist in a slurred mess, too quiet to be heard through the door. She stumbled to her feet, pitching forward and catching herself on the bathroom sink as the alcohol swam through her system.  
  
Alex looked at herself in the mirror. The person staring back at her made her cringe. _I look absolutely terrible._ She smelled of antiseptic scrub and whiskey, the two types of alcohol mixed quite unpleasantly. At least she had the sense to change out of her blood-soaked scrubs and lab coat before locking herself in a bathroom with unhealthy amounts of booze.  
  
“Danvers?” came another tentative rap on the door.  
  
The doctor looked over at door handle, then back at her reflection. _Ruining a relationship before the first date, that’s a record,_ thought Alex scathingly. She sighed and ran her hands through her disheveled hair in an attempt to look somewhat presentable. _It was probably going to end in disaster anyways, like all her past relationships. Why not cut to the ending?_ “Jus’ a sec,” called Alex. She splashed cold water on her face, the feeling barely cutting through the fog of inebriation. The scientist took a deep breath into the paper towel as she dried her face. She was going to regret this in the morning. But at this point, she didn’t care.  
  
“Hey,” greeted Maggie softly as Alex finally opened the door.  
  
Alex glanced down at the titles on the floor. “Hey,” the word was just above a whisper, but seemed to echo in the silence between them.  
  
“Can I… May I come in?” pressed Maggie gently.  
  
“There’s ‘nother bathroom jus’ over there,” Alex tried to joke, waving her hand sloppily in no particular direction. _Wait, that didn’t feel right_. She flexed her fingers and looked down at her hand. _Why was it so heavy? Was is always like that?_ She closed each finger slowly, trying to analyze the feeling. _Pointer, middle, ring, pinky, thumb._ She can’t be that drunk. She hadn’t had nearly enough. Alex scrunched her face in confusion. _Let’s see. Bones of the hand. Carpal bones, proximal row. Scaphoid, lunate, tri… trique… What the fuck was it? Shit._  
  
Maggie frowned, her eyes filled with concern. She took Alex’s hand in her own and tugged lightly. “Come on. Let’s get you sat down.” The doctor didn’t protest, leaning on Maggie for support as she stumbled the short ways over to a nearby bench.  
  
Alex looked up at the night guard, blinking slowly. “‘m sorry. Forgot to eat dinner.”  
  
“Hey, no, it’s okay,” reassured Maggie. “You sit right there. I’ll be back with some water. Don’t move.” The security guard jogged off to the nearest vending machine and returned with several bottles of water and snacks. She opened one of the waters and placed it in Alex’s hand. “Drink.”  
  
The scientist complied, humming ‘What will we do with a drunken sailor?’ in between sips.  
  
“So you want to tell me why you’re getting drunk on a Thursday night in an aquarium bathroom?”  
  
Alex sighed, eyeing the remaining water in the bottle. “I los’ a patient today.” She frowned at the slur still evident in her voice. The scientist took another sip and rubbed the back of her neck. “Twelve hours of surgery, jus’ to have her die on my table.”  
  
Maggie placed a reassuring hand on Alex’s knee. “I’m sure you did everything you could.”  
  
“Her name was Jellybean,” started the scientist. “One of the swee’est tempered penguins I’ve had the pleasure of wor’ing with. I remem’er seeing her in recovery, after they first rescued her… Intelligent, playful eyes. And, oh, she loved to talk. She’d squawk the ear off all th’ handlers.” Alex stared at a spot on the ground, recalling the memory. “She was a transfer patient, bu’ I had treated her er’lier. I travelled out to see her that time. But this time, my schedule was too full. There were complications. They… They brought her to me because I’m s‘posed to be the best. I brought her back twice. But there was…” Alex paused to take a heavy breath. “There was a blood clot. Righ’ fem… right femor… Fuck. Right femoral artery. It tra’elled up and she suffered a deadly pulmonary embolism.”  
  
Maggie was silent. Even a drunken mess, Alex still managed to convey the deep love she held for her work and the animals that surround it. “If anyone could have saved her, it would have been you. I’m no doctor, but I know you did everything right.”  
  
The scientist buried her head in her hands. “It jus’ sucks.” A comfortable silence passed between them as Alex took slow, measured bites of a granola bar. The wind blew harshly outside, sounding off every facet of the building, echoing throughout the empty halls. “‘m so fucking tired,” she groaned.  
  
Maggie chuckled. “I bet.”  
  
“There’s a couch. In my office,” said Alex, rubbing the palms of her hands into her eyes.  
  
“Here,” offered the guard, getting up and extending a steading arm. “I’ll walk you there.”  
  
Alex was in no position to argue and gratefully leaned on Maggie as the two made their way slowly to the biologist’s office. Alex collapsed in a clumsy heap onto her couch and was asleep before Maggie could say a word.

* * *

 

The splitting headache was the first thing Alex Danvers noticed when she awoke. Her second, was the desert that made its home in her mouth. The third and fourth things, however, were much more pleasant. A few of her many lab coats had been draped over her like a blanket, and a much-needed water bottle sat on the end table next to a bottle of Ibuprofen. She greedily downed the water and painkillers and sat up to take stock of her situation. She remembered locking herself in the bathroom with whiskey… and then… and then… “Oh shit,” she cursed as the snippets of last night played through her mind like a surreal dream.  
  
Alex patted herself down, locating her phone tucked away in her pocket. She glanced at the long list of missed texts from Kara, and a singular one from Maggie. She opened the later. The scientist inhaled sharply. She most definitely fucked this relationship up before it even started. _Best to at least apologize._ Alex took a deep breath and hit ‘call.’  
  
Maggie answered on the second ring. “Ah, so the dead can rise again,” greeted the security guard, humor dusting her words.  
  
“Maggie, I’m so sorry for last night. I get it if you never want to see me again. I’ll do everything I can to stay out of your way. I—”  
  
“Relax, Danvers,” interrupted the guard. “Last night was… sweet. If not a little unhealthy.” Alex made a disgruntled noise in agreement. “Last night showed how passionate, how caring you are. If anything, your date-ablity just gained a few points.”  
  
“So, now I’m a just lighter red from stay-the-fuck-away red?”  
  
Maggie chuckled. “Don’t be so down and out on yourself, Danvers. You were solving multivariable calculus problems while wasted out of your mind.”  
  
“Oh no,” Alex breathed. She was glad Maggie couldn’t see the bright red flush of embarrassment.  
  
“Not sure if you were correct on most of the problems, but A plus for effort.”  
  
The scientist chewed her lip and rubbed her forehead in thought. “Maggie, I owe you way more than just a drink.”  
  
A short laugh. “Probably. But I’d understand if you don’t want to see alcohol for a long while.”  
  
Alex’s stomach churned and she had to agree. “Hmm, well,” she looked at the clock above her desk. “You’re almost done with your shift, right?”  
  
“Keeping tabs on my schedule?” grinned Maggie.  
  
“N—no,” stuttered Alex. “I just—”  
  
“You are far too easy to tease,” joked the security guard. “It’s okay. I may have watched you sleep for a bit on the security cameras. So, as for stalker status, I suppose I stand higher.”  
  
“Yeah, but I stand taller in general, so…” needled Alex with a wry grin.  
  
“Ouch. Low blow, Danvers.”  
  
“That’s—”  
  
“Don’t say it.”  
  
“Fine,” huffed Alex with manufactured petulance. “Anyways, come to the open-air dolphin tanks after your shift. I hope I can give you something as collateral for those drinks I owe you.”  
  
Maggie raised a curious eyebrow. “Well then, I’ll see you soon, Danvers.” The security guard smiled as she pulled the phone away from her ear and hit ‘end call.’  
  
Alex grinned as the call ended. All her career she’d been giving out second chances to animals in need, but it was rare she got her own second chance. And she was determined to make the most of it.

* * *

 

“Over here!” called Alex, waving from the deck of the dolphin’s performance tank. Maggie glanced around. The early morning rays bathed the stage and bleachers in a soft, pink light. “Have a seat, m’lady,” bid Alex with an exaggerated bow.  
  
Maggie smiled and took a front row bench, wrapping her jacket close around her to fend off the chilly April morning air.  
  
“Guys, gals, and nonbinary pals,” started Alex, looking ridiculously out of place on the decorated stage, dressed in jeans and a hoodie all covered with yet another lab coat. “Cover your cameras and hide your cats, because she’s _fishing_ for compliments, she’s _angling_ for that raise, she’s here to _school_ you on how cool it is in this pool….” Alex stretched the last word out her best performance voice, raising a whistle to her lips. “Yes, that’s right, folks. It’s Gertrude!” The biologist blew the whistle and a sleek, grey body zipped through the water and flipped into the air.  
  
Maggie couldn’t help but play along and gave a rousing one-woman applause.  
  
Alex bowed, deep from the waist. “Thank you, thank you.” She gestured with a flick of her hand and Gertrude joined in with her own aquatic bow. “Gertrude says thank you as well. See, she’s no _fluke_.”  
  
The scientist threw a fish into Gertrude’s mouth and continued with the routine, the dolphin responding to numerous gestures and whistles. Gertrude finished with an impressive double flip and a cheeky wave before swimming back into her tank.  
  
Alex was beaming ear to ear after climbing down from the stage and settling next to the security guard. “So how was the show?”  
  
“Wonderful,” grinned Maggie.  
  
“I hope she didn’t splash you. The aquarium’s summer routines are full of that, but it’s a bit cold out now.”  
  
Maggie shook her head. “Nothing but a little mist.”  
  
“Good, because if she did, know it wasn’t on _porpoise_ ,” smirked the scientist.  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes playfully at yet another of Alex’s puns. “Got enough lab coats, Danvers?” asked the security guard, gesturing to the scientist’s name-embroidered white coat.  
  
Alex grinned and popped the lapels. “It’s my superhero costume.” She produced a small lollipop from one of the pockets. “With added snack compartment.” The scientist extended the candy treat like a rose.  
  
Maggie accepted the gift, doing her best to contain her laughter. “Nerd,” she breathed, almost too quiet for Alex to hear. It was a word that held no admonishment, but charm and adoration instead.  
  
The scientist couldn’t help but blush. A small beat of silence passed between them. _I should say something._ Alex glanced around and made the mistake of noticing how stunning Maggie looked with slightly wind buffeted hair. Not to mention the glow of the early morning sun illuminating her features just so...  
  
_Speech module encountered an unexpected error. Press okay to try again._  
  
_Okay._  
  
Alex swallowed hard, trying to chase away the sudden dryness in her mouth. “So.” She cleared her throat awkwardly. “Does this make up for my drunk and disorderly conduct?”  
  
“More than enough. That has to be the second-best date I’ve been on.”  
  
The doctor choked on air. “D—date?” The security guard shrugged and nodded, pretending it was the most obvious notion in the world. Alex blinked rapidly and stuffed her hands in her lab coat pockets. A beat of silence. “Wait… second best?”  
  
Maggie grinned mischievously. “Well, I’m hoping that the first best will be our next date.”  
  
The scientist spluttered again. _Who knew there was so much air to choke on?_ “I—You—” struggled Alex.  
  
“Are you free next Saturday, say, six o’ clock?” Alex nodded mutely. “Great!” The former detective stood up to leave. “It’s a date.” Maggie strode out of the park, throwing a brazen wink towards Alex as she passed by.  
  
_AlexDanvers.exe has run into a problem that it couldn’t handle, and now needs to restart._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Alex and Maggie go on their first-best(?) second date and Maggie meets Kara and Lena.
> 
> As always, I love to hear your thoughts and feedback below!


	3. Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sings: “And you don't know why/ But you’re dying to try/ You wanna kiss the girl…” Leave it to Alex to describe love using science, Kara attempts to interrogate a detective, and Lena wants to save the world one person at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to keep the fluff subdued this chapter, but went overboard because ~~it’s my birthday and I can do what I want~~ I’m complete and utter Sanvers trash. Send help. Wait, don’t. It’s too late for me. Save yourselves.

Let the record show that Alex Danvers did not take an entire day to get ready. She did not wear everything in her closet in every conceivable combination. She also did not calculate that combination and cringe at the ostensibly high number. No, Alex Danvers, brilliant scientist, did not fuss for hours over makeup and hair. It most definitely did not take her the same amount of time to do her nails as it took her superhero of a sister to stop a bank robbery, save a burning building, and rescue a cat in a tree. She was most certainly _not_ that invested in a silly little date with Maggie Sawyer.  
  
Let the record also show that Alex Danvers is a liar and most definitely did all of these things.  
  
“You clean up nice,” greeted Maggie at the front door of the restaurant.  
  
Alex was already a bundle of nerves, but seeing Maggie? Well that just about gave her a heart attack. She could see her obituary now: beloved doctor, sister, daughter, and one big gay disaster. Passed away because women are just so damned beautiful.  
  
The scientist tried (and failed) to compose herself. “You too. With the dress, and the hair, and the…” she trailed off, awkwardly gesturing towards the entirety of the former detective.  
  
Maggie laughed and mock curtsied, her long dress brushing the ground. “Thank you, Danvers.” The former detective extended her hand with a smile. “Shall we?”

* * *

 

“I have to say, it’s odd not seeing you in your uniform,” commented Alex as she poured them both another glass of wine. “Not that I mind,” she hastily added.  
  
“Well, Alex Danvers without a lab coat or pajamas is quite a sight as well,” smirked Maggie, pointedly dragging her eyes over the woman in front of her. “Not that I mind,” added the former detective with a playful grin. Alex nearly spit a mouthful of wine, but recovered with a cough.  
  
“So,” started the scientist taking a small bite of food to divert the conversation. “How’d you land a reservation here? I must say, I’m quite impressed.”  
  
“I still have some favours left over from working on the force.”  
  
There was a slight halting of Alex’s hand as she brought the wine glass to her lips. “Oh, you were a cop?”  
  
“A detective,” stressed Maggie. She worked hard to earn the title and wouldn’t settle for less.  
  
“What made you quit and become a security guard?”  
  
Maggie paused, knife halfway through her food. Alex immediately noticed the change and internally cursed her flippancy. She opened her mouth to say something but Maggie cut in. “I… had a bad field mission. The aftermath of it left me with the decision to have a crappy desk job or to chance it finding some other work.” Maggie resumed her knife work on the plate of food in front of her, trying to ignore the phantom twinge of pain coming from her missing leg. “As you can see, I chose the later.”  
  
Alex cleared her throat awkwardly. She could see the topic was still sensitive to the former detective and quickly sought to change the subject. “Gertrude seemed to take a liking to you.”  
  
“Oh? Do your superpowers include Dolphin Whisperer?” Maggie slipped back into the playful demeanor she had originally sported and Alex breathed a small sigh of relief.  
  
“Me and Gertrude have a very close relationship.” Maggie raised a curious eyebrow. “That adorable mammal saved my life,” declared the scientist proudly. “I was working on something up on the catwalk above her tank. Can’t remember exactly what, but I accidentally dropped what I was holding and lunged to grab it, but instead I slipped over the railing and bashed my head on some metal scaffolding on the way down.” Maggie hissed sympathetically. “I would’ve drowned, but Gertrude lifted me out of the water and stayed by my side until I came to. I was very lucky not to have fallen into a killer whale tank or I’d have been fish food.”  
  
Maggie slid her hand over the table and briefly brushed Alex’s. “I’m very glad you’re not currently in some whale’s belly.”  
  
Alex laughed lightly. “You and me both. Gertrude had only been at the aquarium for a few days when I fell into her tank. I was there when we rescued her. She’d been injured, probably by a predator, and was beached, mostly likely in an attempt to escape. We managed to patch her up and brought her back to the aquarium to recover. She was so scared at first. Didn’t want anyone near her. But after the day I fell into her tank, she wouldn’t leave my side. She’d swim up next to me every time I came around to check on her. I think she understood that we both saved each other’s lives. We’ve been close ever since.” The scientist leaned closer to Maggie and dropped her voice to a stage whisper. “Don’t let the other animals know, but she’s my favourite.”  
  
Maggie grinned and dragged a finger over her mouth. “My lips are sealed.”  
  
“Good, because I think we’d have a riot on our hands if word got out,” said Alex with a small laugh.  
  
“How’d she get the name Gertrude?” asked Maggie. “Sounds much different from a name like Fluffy.”  
  
Alex smiled. “That’s because I named Gertrude. She’s one of the only animals that Kara hasn’t named.”  
  
“I can see why,” smirked Maggie. “Gertrude? Really? I wouldn’t even name my dog that.”  
  
“Hey! Gertrude is a lovely name for a dog.”  
  
Maggie just shook her head and smiled, one Alex could have sworn was made of starlight.

* * *

 

“I had a wonderful evening,” said Alex. “And,” she added hesitantly, “I would like to have another date. With you. If you wanted to, that is.” The two had found themselves outside of the restaurant after hours of pleasant conversation. Alex had lost count of the times she found herself getting lost in Maggie’s eyes, or wishing she could wake up to the sight of Maggie’s smile, bright with happiness and accented with those adorable dimples.  
  
The former detective tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and Alex tracked her movements with baited breath. “I’d like that very much, Danvers.”  
  
“That’s great!” The scientist released a shaky sigh of relief. “I’ll… I’ll just…” Alex was so nervous Maggie would say no, she didn’t know what to say at a yes. “I’ll call you with details?”  
  
Maggie smiled, charmed at how easily Alex blushed. The scientist had her own expression, one filled with wonder. Alex couldn’t get over how stunning Maggie was. “So…” started the former detective.  
  
Alex made an odd noise as she snapped back from her daydream of wondering how Maggie liked her coffee. “Yes?” The scientist’s voice was tight, unsure of how to proceed.  
  
“This is normally the part of the date where you kiss me goodbye.” Maggie tilted her head to the side, chin up, wearing the most mischievous smile.  
  
Alex swore she felt her soul leave her body. Maggie was going to be the death of her. She could picture her final resting place now: her gravestone wouldn’t even hold her name, it’d just have that stupid cartoon seal shouting ‘Gaaayy’ engraved on it and everyone would know who it was.  
  
_All systems critical. Core meltdown imminent._  
  
The former detective watched Alex seemingly literally freeze for a moment. Maggie probably did the same thing too, though. _Was she too forward?_ She usually was a master at reading a situation, it’s part of what made her a good detective. But with Alex it was different. With Alex, she felt bolder, yet more cautious. Excited, yet scared to death. All her previous relationships crashed and burned, but with Alex, she wanted that to change.  
  
Maggie spent the entire evening watching Alex’s face light up with enthusiasm and passion as she spoke about her work; love and adoration as she mentioned her sister. Maggie watched as Alex fumbled with simple silverware and tripped over her words after Maggie offered a smile. She watched as Alex hung on every word Maggie said, truly listened to what she had to say. She saw how enamored Alex was with her. And Maggie hoped Alex saw the same.  
  
She wasn’t sure who made the first move, but suddenly Alex was only a breath away. It felt like a moment straight out of a beautifully Sapphic chick flick.  
  
They both leaned the same way. Noses bumped, teeth clacked awkwardly. They parted, laughing as the tension melted out of the situation.  
  
Alex grinned, flustered but all anxiety gone. “We should try that again?” Maggie could only nod, not trusting her own voice.  
  
_Unstable fission reactions. Nuclear meltdown manifested._  
  
Alex hated to sound like a dime novel, but fireworks were not enough to describe the feeling. No, they were stars. The nitrogen in their DNA, the carbon in their skin, the iron in their blood, all sought an elemental connection. For one breathtaking moment, they were just two atoms joining together to release hundreds of mega electron volts of energy, burning at millions of degrees kelvin.  
  
It was starlight.

* * *

* * *

 

“…Fluffy’s flipper fell off Monday and I had to go dive to get it. I think she must have bumped it on something since she doesn’t have tactile feedback. Maybe if we—” Alex halted her conversation with Kara and Lena when she noticed a figure walking towards their group. “Maggie! What are you doing here?” The scientist shoved the piles of papers she was holding into her sister’s arm, who shot Alex an annoyed look.  
  
“Tuesday is payday,” grinned Maggie, waving the envelope she held in her hand.  
  
Alex closed the distance between her and placed a tentative hand on the former detective’s shoulder. _Should she go in for a hug? A chaste kiss of the cheek?_ They shared a connection, but hadn’t talked about labels or public affection. Maggie dashed the unspoken questions away by raising onto her toes and placing a quick kiss on Alex’s lips.  
  
The scientist turned around, arm now draped over the former detective’s shoulders. “Kara, Lena, this is my… this is Maggie.”  
  
Kara bounded forward with a smile that could light up even the darkest of places. “Nice to finally meet you,” she shook Maggie’s hand with a bit too much vigour. “I’ve heard so much about you!”  
  
Maggie glanced up at Alex. “Nothing bad!” The scientist quickly interjected.  
  
Kara grinned. “I think I’ve developed a cavity from how much Alex talks about you,” stage whispered the reporter. Alex shot her sister a glare that could rival Supergirl’s heat vision. “And I can’t get cavities since I’m—I mean, since I brush and floss everyday. Yeah, dental hygiene is really important,” tittered Kara.  
  
Alex crossed her arms. “Consider it payback for having to listen to _you_ speak about a certain—”  
  
“Okay!” shouted Kara, panic coloring her voice. The reporter glanced over at Lena none too subtly. “I think you’ve made your point, Alex.” The scientist unfolded her arms with a triumphant smirk.  
  
Lena cleared her throat, dispelling the previous conversation. She offered her hand and Maggie took it with a dash of astonishment. “It’s an honor, Ms. Luthor,” said Maggie, amazed to have met one of National City’s brightest.  
  
“Please,” said Lena with a dismissive wave. “Call me Lena. We’re among friends here.”  
  
“So Maggie,” cut in Kara. “How have you been doing?”  
  
“Good,” answered the former detective warily.  
  
“Any… plans? Maybe with Alex?” At the mention of her name, the scientist raised a questioning eyebrow.  
  
“Well, we actually are making plans for another date.”  
  
Kara hugged the stack of papers to her chest in an attempt to cross her arms. “Another, huh? You guys must like each other?”  
  
Maggie smiled and shook her head. “I used to be a detective, Little Danvers. Unless you’re going to write an exposé on me, you can just ask me straight up.”  
  
Kara blushed and hastily readjusted her glasses. “Ehm, no. I’m good. No further questions.” She thrust the stack of papers back into Alex’s hands. “I’m going to go visit Sprinkles and the gang. Lena, you can find me by the sea otters, okay? Don’t be late for our lunch. And remember, no kale!” called the reporter as she scurried off.  
  
Maggie shoved her hands into her leather jacket. “I’m going to go as well. Got to catch my eight hours of sleep for my shift tonight, else I’ll be completely useless.”  
  
“Of course,” nodded Alex. The scientist turned towards Lena. “One sec.” Alex took a few steps away from the CEO and ducked her head in close to Maggie. “Hey, sorry I haven’t called you yet. Work’s gotten crazy.”  
  
“No worries, Danvers. I got your texts.”  
  
“Yeah…” the scientist straightened and rubbed the back of her neck. “We’ve got inspections coming in a few weeks and everyone’s making extra sure we exceed standards and are in _ship shape_. They always choose to come by the second week of May, when things warm up, babies get active, and stuff starts to break. It’s stressful to say the least. But don’t worry, I’ve been thinking about our next date. I’ve got some ideas. I know this cool pinball bar, or that new tapas bar just opened…”  
  
The former detective smiled and Alex couldn’t help but kiss her. “Anything with you sounds excellent,” murmured Maggie.  
  
Alex returned to Lena in a daze. The scientist was falling for Maggie. Hard. She could _feel_ her body hitting terminal velocity and suspending itself on a cloud of air resistance and dopamine.  
  
“Actually, I think I’ll go early to lunch with Kara,” smiled the CEO politely. Lena watched Maggie walk out the door with a curious look. “Can we finish this business later? I’m sure the glue should hold that flipper well enough for now.”  
  
Alex nodded, mind still in a bit of a haze. “Yeah, yeah. Sure. Bye, Lena.” The CEO offered her own short farewell and jogged after Maggie’s retreating form.  
  
“Wait,” called Lena as she opened the doors. The former detective halted and turned around to face the CEO, an expectant look on her face. “I’m sorry if I’m being too presumptuous,” started Lena. “I couldn’t help but notice you’re wearing a prosthetic on your right leg.”  
  
Maggie rung her hands nervously. She liked to keep the fact about her lost limb a secret. She wore looser jeans and long pants as much as she could. She hated the look of pity most people gave her, the sudden change in the way people treated her. She wanted to be just Maggie, not the girl that lost her leg.  
  
“Sorry, prosthetics are a large portion of my company and the engineer in me couldn’t help but say something,” continued Lena. “Call it intuition, but that doesn’t look L Corp made.”  
  
“No,” said Maggie softly. There was no point denying it. The look on Lena’s face was far from the pity she normally sees, and instead filled with fascination. “A detective’s salary can’t quite cover one of your prosthetics. And my worker’s comp barely helped provide enough for the cost of one day in the hospital, let alone a new leg.”  
  
Lena frowned and brought a thoughtful finger to her chin. “I’ve been striving to lower the cost of my devices. They’re meant to help soldiers, firefighters, people like you, not to benefit the rich. Perhaps if I switch…” trailed off the CEO. “No, I won’t bore you with the details, but I’ll see what I can do about lowering production costs.” Lena reached into her pocket and handed Maggie a card. “Here’s my personal number. Give me a call. I’d like to improve your current prosthetic model, or even outfit you with one of L Corp’s newer models. We just hired a bright, new material engineer. She’s made some ground breaking discoveries with cutting-edge compounds that help with shock absorption and waterproofing. I’d be delighted if you’d consider being a beta tester.”  
  
Maggie took Lena’s card with some hesitancy. “I’m not sure how I feel about handouts.”  
  
Lena hummed in thought for a moment before straightening her posture. “I don’t know your story, and I don’t pretend to, but you were a detective for this city that I love. You swore to serve and protect. And if you lost your leg doing exactly that, then I consider it my _duty_ to provide you with a damn good prosthetic. One that could get you out in the field again, being the everyday superhero we all need.”  
  
The former detective looked down at the card and then back at Lena. She knew the CEO meant every word she said. “This stays between us?”  
  
Lena nodded her head in affirmative. “Not a word to anyone, not even Kara or Alex, if that’s your wish.”  
  
“I’ll think about it.”  
  
Lena smiled warmly. “I truly hope you accept my offer. Farewell, detective.”  
  
Maggie stood in the parking lot, watching the CEO walk back inside the aquarium. It felt like decades since she’d been called a detective. She couldn’t remember the last time she didn’t think of herself as a _former_ member of the force.  
  
“Detective,” whispered Maggie. After the grueling months of recovery and surgery, only to be told she’d be stuck behind a desk for the rest of her career pushing menial papers, she never thought she’d be a true detective again. But now… “Detective Sawyer,” she repeated.  
  
And damn, it felt good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Alex comforts Maggie, Gertrude gets screen time, and Maggie contemplates Lena’s offer.
> 
> The support of you lovely readers never ceases to amaze me. Thank you so very much for all your kudos and comments! They’re better motivators than any deadline I’ve ever had. 
> 
> As always, feel free to leave predictions, criticisms, etc. below. I love to hear it all!


	4. Show Me Your Scars (And I Will Show You How They Shine)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abundance of soft!Sanvers. Maggie tells her story and Alex is the epitome of love and support.

“Test the pH levels again, Williams,” growled Alex. “And you don’t need a doctor telling you to add _more_ of something we’re _low_ on. Use your brain!” The tech scurried away in a fit of ‘Yes ma’ams’ and Alex pinched the bridge of her nose. She could use a stiff drink. There was only a week to go before inspections and the entire aquarium crew was on edge. Even the poor college kids who ran the ticket booths were stressing over _something_.  
  
“Hey, you,” called a familiar voice.  
  
Alex turned around, lab coat fluttering into place around her. The scientist’s stern face and rigid lines instantly melted away into a warm smile. “Maggie! Shit, is it five already?” Alex looked down at her watch and sighed. “I swear it was ten in the morning just a few minutes ago. I’ve still got a whole romp of sea otter pups to administer check ups to and Cruller’s eye infection does _not_ want to go away.”  
  
Maggie extended a steaming cup of coffee and Alex accepted it gratefully. The scientist couldn’t help but feel better around Maggie. The last few weeks spent with her had Alex floating on Cloud Nine. They’d gone to the movies, enjoyed a lovely (albeit a bit windy) picnic, and Maggie had even taken Alex fishing, much to the scientist’s amusement. They’d stopped counting dates or even really calling their time together dates. Holding hands had become second-nature and Alex swore there was a golden tinge on her world, and not just because Spring was in full swing.  
  
“It’s fine,” said the security guard. “You could cut the tension with a knife in the staff room today. Is it always this bad?”  
  
Alex shook her head. “No, this has to be the worst evaluation year yet. We’re a non-profit aquarium. We rehabilitate and release most of the animals that come through our med bay. Some animals aren’t even seen by the public by the time we recommend them for release. With the new administration, our grants and funding have been slashed dramatically. Lena’s donations have helped enormously, but she’s got her own company to run, one that works towards bettering our planet as well. Any non-profit with a less than perfect evaluation faces near complete government defunding,” the scientist frowned. “Those government lackeys are licking their chops, just _waiting_ for an excuse to shut us down. Bastards.”  
  
“You do amazing work! In the month I’ve been here, I’ve heard more heartwarming success stories than I could ever imagine. Why would anyone want to cut your funding?”  
  
Alex visibly bristled and Maggie braced herself for a rant. “It’s difficult to get a group of old, rich, white men to fund the preservation and protection of our Earth’s marine life if it doesn’t line their pockets in someway. It’s not like Earth’s surface is 70% water, or anything,” bites Alex. Maggie raises a hand to try and calm the scientist down, but Alex still has more to say. “Not to mention, the very projects they _do_ throw money at are the ones raising the ocean’s acidity and temperature and allowing for oil and other chemicals to be tossed into the water.”  
  
Maggie fears for the integrity of the coffee cup Alex is holding. She grabs the scientist by her arm and leads her to a nearby chair. Alex plops down in the seat at Maggie’s insistence, angrily sipping her coffee. The security guard places her hands on the back of Alex’s neck and starts a gentle massage. “I understand, Danvers. The world can be fucked up. Take it from an ex-detective. I’ve seen first hand what a little money and power can do to a person.” Maggie’s fingers hit a particularly tight knot of muscles and Alex can’t help but make a small sound. “But sometimes, you just have to relax.”  
  
Alex leaned into Maggie’s touch. “I’m sorry. I know you finally managed to switch onto a day shift, and we going to go see that play…”  
  
“I used to be that person who worked into the night to solve cases, the one constantly apologizing for not staying within the nine to five confines. What kind of person would I be if I ridiculed you on the same thing?” Maggie ceased her ministrations on Alex’s tight neck and shoulders and placed a kiss on Alex’s lips. “Besides,” said the security guard with a devilish grin. She dropped her voice to a whisper and leaned close to Alex’s ear. “I’d be more than happy to order in some food and show you how to _really_ relax.”  
  
The scientist blushed bright red, and Maggie pulled away with a laugh. “I—” struggled Alex, robbed of all oxygen. She swore she could feel her heart imploding, then being subsequently reborn.  
  
“Don’t die on me,” smirked Maggie. “Take your time with Cruller and your otter pups. You can come by mine once you’re done. Chinese okay?” Alex blinked, still dazed as her brain rebooted. “I’ll take that as a yes,” chuckled Maggie. “See you soon, Danvers!”

* * *

 

After one of the fastest check up rounds she’d ever done, Alex found herself knocking on Maggie’s apartment door. The former detective opened the door and ushered the scientist in. She had changed from her security guard uniform into a comfortable pair of jeans and a tucked button down shirt. Alex, on the other hand, eager to spend time with Maggie was still in her work clothes, sans lab coat.  
  
“Didn’t know what you were in the mood for, so I hope you don’t mind what I ordered,” said Maggie, sliding a couple of cartons of food towards Alex and opening the fridge to pull out a beer.  
  
_You’re what I’m in the mood for_ , was what Alex _wanted_ to say. What she _did_ manage to say was a nervous squeak of a ‘Thanks.’ The scientist sat down and took a healthy sip of beer.  
  
Sure, Maggie was an amazing and stunning individual that usually left her tongue tied, but not this badly. Alex wasn’t sure if it was the steady diet of caffeine, stress, and junk food she’d been running on lately, prepping for the inspection, or if there truly was a shift in their dynamic.  
  
The biologist stuffed a large, heaping chopstick full of food in her mouth and instantly forgot her worries. She didn’t realise just how hungry she was until now. She’d ask Maggie about the shift in behaviour later, but for now, the carton of noodles demanded her attention.

* * *

 

Alex was curled up on the couch, head resting on the pillow in Maggie’s lap. The TV was playing some sort of movie, but Alex couldn’t concentrate with Maggie’s light touch drawing absent patterns over her arm. After inhaling far too much Chinese take out, Alex had been left to ponder the shift in the former detective’s demeanor.  
  
The scientist sat up and draped an arm around Maggie’s shoulders. “You going to tell me what’s wrong?”  
  
Maggie turned down the volume on the TV and shifted to face Alex better. “Nothing’s wrong,” lied the security guard.  
  
Alex hummed. “And I’m the Queen of England,” she scoffed.  
  
“What gave it away?” Maggie sighed, defeated.  
  
The scientist smiled knowingly. “When my sister is upset, she gets this sad ‘crinkle’ in-between her eyebrows.” Alex reached up and tapped the corresponding place on Maggie’s face. “But when you’re upset, you get this sad ‘dimple.’” The doctor leaned over and kissed the tell on Maggie’s cheek. “So, what’s wrong?”  
  
“I haven’t been completely straight with you, Danvers.”  
  
“I’d hope not,” grinned Alex cheekily. “I’d have hoped you were completely gay with me.”  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes and punched Alex lightly. “I’m trying to be serious.”  
  
The scientist smiled and squeezed Maggie’s hand gently, pulling it into her lap. “Okay, okay. I’m listening.”  
  
“I know I’ve been evasive lately. There’s a reason for that,” said the former detective. Maggie thought over Lena’s card tucked away in her wallet. Over the CEO’s offer at a chance to be a detective again. Over the many times she’d hidden her prosthetic from Alex.  
  
Maggie was familiar with lies. She’d told them in all their varying shades with great proficiency throughout her life. She’d told lies to protect her self. She’d told lies to protect others. She’d even lied to herself.  
  
Alex was familiar with lies too. The small white lies over how long she _really_ spent at work, or how little sleep she _actually_ got. And the bigger lies. The lies covering her sister’s identity, the lies she’d told her family to get them to stop worrying. The lies she told herself. Alex told lies with great expertise and finesse as well.  
  
But the two had grown close in their time together. They both understood the damage of lies in relationships. They’d both felt the sting of rejection and pain of break ups. Yet, they both wanted this time to be different. And they both understood that took effort. Effort they were both willing to make.  
  
So, Maggie took a deep breath and readied herself to tell Alex the truth.  
  
“The field mission that ended my career as a detective… I didn’t tell you everything,” said Maggie, looking into Alex’s warm, brown eyes for the strength to continue. “We were working a missing persons case. A young girl, Evelyn Reed, was taken while walking the short three blocks from her bus stop to her house. Unlike most of the cases we got, this one had a promising lead. We followed an anonymous tip to an abandoned factory just north of town. I knew something was off the moment we got there. The backpack and jacket Evelyn was last reported wearing was just sitting at the entrance like some lawn decoration. My partner went around back and I entered through the front door. Both of us stumbled upon Evelyn at the same time, from different sides. I won’t ever forget the look on her face. She was handcuffed to a post and gagged, fairly unharmed, but the frightened look in her eyes, Alex, I can’t begin to describe it.”  
  
The scientist gathered Maggie tighter into her arms and placed a reassuring kiss on her forehead. “It’s okay. It’s okay,” whispered Alex.  
  
The former detective gathered a deep breath and continued. “We were so distracted at getting Evelyn uncuffed and to safety, that we didn’t notice the threat. The kidnapper fired two bullets, close range, into my vest. What happened next was a blur. I fell to the ground and my partner was shouting at the kidnapper to drop his weapon. He barely got the word ‘backup’ out onto the radio before the kidnapper open fired on my partner, who was not as lucky to have all the bullets hit his vest.” Maggie let out a shaky breath. Alex drew absent circles over the back of Maggie’s hand with her thumb.  
  
“I was still on the ground suffering through the pain of a broken rib, trying to remember to breathe, when the kidnapper used my own handcuffs to lock me up next to Evelyn. That poor kid, Alex. She was only seven years old and yet she had been kidnapped, witnessed a man being shot, and I was just a wheezing incoherent mess strung up next to her.”  
  
“You did everything you could,” whispered Alex, trying to pour as much comfort and love she could into her voice.  
  
“I know, I know,” murmured Maggie. “It’s just…” she dropped her train of thought with a sad shake of her head. “The guy was crazy,” continued Maggie with her narration of events. “He screamed at me about how all police were monsters. He relished killing cops, and used a child to get to us. What kind of sick fuck does that?” spat Maggie with disgust. “Our backup came, but it wasn’t over. He had explosives hidden in the walls and triggered them the moment my fellow officers stepped in the building.” Maggie struggled to continue, her breath became heavy as she attempted to contain her emotions.  
  
“Shh,” comforted Alex, cradling the former detective closer to her chest. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything more.”  
  
Maggie pulled away slightly to wipe away the few tears that had fallen. “No, no. You deserve to hear it all. The explosion and falling debris injured three officers and fatally wounded one other. The kidnapper himself died in the chaos. I just remember holding that little girl close as those handcuffs would let me. I covered her body with my own without hesitation the second the explosions hit. I thought I was going to die, Alex.”  
  
“You didn’t. You’re alive,” murmured the scientist.  
  
Maggie nodded. “A large chunk of concrete and rebar crushed my right leg, though. I was unconscious for most of it. When I woke up, I was missing one leg. They had to amputate above the knee.”  
  
Alex’s hand ghosted towards Maggie’s right leg. The former detective could swear her missing limb burned as Alex touched the mass of metal and circuits through her pant leg. “You’re amazing,” breathed Alex, voice full of awe. “You’re brave and selfless and absolutely incredible.”  
  
Maggie wanted to cry. No, she wanted to sob. She’d grown up in the small town of Blue Springs, Nebraska as a non-white, non-straight girl. Her own parents cast her out, called her names that still wound her to this day, all because of her differences.  
  
But here was Alex. Here was that nerdy science geek who stored Twizzlers in her lab coat. Here was the vet who came to work in her pajamas late at night and forgot her keys. Here was the woman who kissed her like every one was her last. Here was _Alex_ telling her that she loved her fully and completely, differences and all.  
  
So, in the dim light of her apartment, Maggie allowed herself to do something she had never done since she was 15 and was sent to go live with her aunt. Maggie Sawyer allowed herself to cry.  
  
And if you asked Alex, that was one of the bravest things Maggie had ever done.

* * *

 

It was late when Maggie finally composed herself. She wasn’t sure how long she laid there on the couch, head nestled safely in Alex’s lap. Only the streetlights and the chance apartment room was illuminated. It was a time when most decent people were asleep in their beds.  
  
“Hey you,” murmured Alex softly. “How are you doing?”  
  
“Better,” responded Maggie, voice rough with dried tears. “Thank you.”  
  
Alex hummed, hands ceasing their gentle travels through Maggie’s hair. “I had wondered about your prosthetic.”  
  
Maggie sat up and scrunched her eyebrows together in bewilderment. “You knew?”  
  
“Of course I knew,” said Alex with a playfully chastising laugh. “As much as you tried to hide it, it’s not hard to see when you look a bit further. You were quick to shutdown roving hands when things got heavy.”  
  
Maggie ducked her head in embarrassment. “I… Any woman would kill to be with you. I just… I hadn’t been with anyone since the incident… and…”  
  
“Hey, look at me. Did I run away? No. I understood you wanted boundaries. I would’ve waited ‘till hell froze over if that’s what you needed. You’re more than a beautiful body.” Maggie buried her head in the crook of Alex’s neck. “Besides, we’ve slept in the same bed, next to each other. It’s a bit hard to ignore a metal leg when you’re spooned up next to me,” laughed Alex. “I didn’t ask, because I knew you’d tell me when you were ready, when I earned the privilege.”  
  
Maggie turned and clasped her hands around the back of Alex’s neck, kissing her deeply. She parted slowly, savouring the moment. “You’re the best girlfriend I could ever ask for.”  
  
Alex blinked slowly, absorbing the words. They’d never talked about defining their relationship, or dared to use the word. They had both been burned in the past. But now… “Girlfriend?” asked the scientist in an unsure whisper.  
  
Maggie nodded. “Yes, you nerd.”  
  
The doctor paused a moment before breaking into a wide grin. She surged forward and planted an excited, sloppy kiss on Maggie’s lips. She broke away with stars in her eyes. “I have a girlfriend!” Alex bolted off the couch. “I have a girlfriend!” She repeated, a bit louder. Maggie laughed, joining in Alex’s sheer delight. “Let’s go somewhere,” blurted out the scientist.  
  
“Now? It’s nearly three in the morning. Don’t you have work tomorrow?”  
  
“I’ll come in late and stay late if I have to. This is important.” Alex scurried around Maggie’s apartment, collecting her jacket and keys, bouncing into her shoes. “Grab something you can get wet in.”  
  
Maggie raised a mischievous eyebrow. “Why Danvers, I’m not so sure I’m in the mood—”  
  
“Not like that,” admonished Alex with a roll of her eyes. Maggie smirked, but went into her bedroom and returned wearing board shorts and old shirt. Despite the heart-to-heart they had just shared, it was difficult to school all self consciousness over her mechanical leg in a single night. Alex’s eyes barely rested a beat on the prosthetic, before locking eyes with the former detective, full of excitement. The scientist threw one of Maggie’s coats at her. “It _may_ be May, but it’s still a bit cold for shorts. Bundle up.”  
  
Maggie begrudgingly pulled on the jacket. “Are you going to at least tell me where we’re going?”  
  
“Nope. You’ll see soon enough.”

* * *

 

“The aquarium, really? Didn’t we both organize it so we _wouldn’t_ spend the night here?”  
  
Alex switched off the car and pocketed her keys. “Okay, yes, but that was then and this is now.” The two exited the car and stood in the near empty parking lot. “Come on.” The scientist grinned and extended a hand towards Maggie. “As Aladdin said to Jasmine: do you trust me?”  
  
“Are we going on a magic carpet ride?” smiled Maggie, taking Alex’s hand in hers.  
  
“Even better,” grinned Alex. The scientist dragged Maggie through the aquarium like an excitable child until they were at the dolphin performance tank. It looked different in the near dark, the stars and moon reflecting off the rippling surface.  
  
“Here again? Running out of ideas?” needled Maggie.  
  
Alex shook her head and smiled. “You’ll see! Just wait here a moment. I’ll be right back.” The scientist bolted off and returned a few minutes later wearing the most ridiculous wetsuit.  
  
“What—?” Maggie couldn’t stifle the giggle bubbling in her throat.  
  
“It was some failed Carnival-inspired design,” explained Alex gesturing to the abomination of glitter and odd tags of colored fabric she thinks were supposed to be feathers. The scientist tried to be as serious as possible in the absurd costume. “Look, I’m wearing this because I want you to know, if you ever feel embarrassed, self conscious, or silly in any way, just look at me. Look at this perversion of fashion and know, that you are in no way more embarrassing than I.”  
  
Maggie nodded, still shaking with laughter. “I don’t think that’ll be hard to do.”  
  
“Good,” said Alex. The scientist half ran, half walked around the tank and opened the connecting gate. Alex clambered onto the stage and blew the whistle around her neck. The familiar grey body of Gertrude swam lazily to meet Alex. “Hey there, girl,” cooed Alex as she reached down to stroke Gertrude’s head. “Sorry I woke you, but it’s important.”  
  
Gertrude opened her mouth and emitted a series of clicks.  
  
“Yes, you spoiled little mammal. You can have extra fish.” Alex kissed the tip of Gertrude’s beak and turned to address Maggie. “There’s one very special trick you did not get to see the first time around.” Alex blew her whistle and situated herself in the water next to Gertrude. The scientist grabbed hold of the dolphin’s dorsal fin and blew the whistle once more. With an unadulterated shout of joy, the two shot off, making a couple laps around the tank before coming to a halt at their starting position.  
  
Alex grinned, hair now wet and plastered around her face, only accentuating the entire look that inane wetsuit gave her. She gave Gertrude a large aquatic hug and leaned against the stage, legs dangling freely in the deep water. Gertrude waited patiently by her side.  
  
“So, has the great Maggie Sawyer ever ridden a dolphin?”  
  
The former detective shook her head, a large grin developing on her face. “Can’t say I have.”  
  
“Then today is your lucky day. Come on in, the water’s great!”  
  
It was then that Maggie fully realized Alex’s plan. Her prosthetic wasn’t made for swimming. Or even full submersion. “My leg,” protested the former detective.  
  
“I’ll be here and Gertrude would never hurt you. And remember, don’t feel ashamed. Just _look_ at this ludicrous wetsuit.”  
  
Maggie chewed her lip in thought for a few minutes. If she was ever going to begin her journey back to detective, she had to fully accept her disability. Maggie shed her jacket and bent down to unfasten her leg. With Alex’s help, she climbed onto the stage and sat at the water’s edge.  
  
Gertrude swam up to meet her and bumped her snout into Maggie’s good leg. “Go on, she loves the attention,” urged Alex, who had lowered herself back into the water.  
  
Maggie reached forward and stroked Gertrude’s head, marveling at the slick, marine skin. “Hey there,” she greeted.  
  
Alex smiled. “Take your right hand and move it from your waist straight up to your chin, then wave.” The scientist demonstrated the action. Maggie copied it and Gertrude laid on her side, wiggling her flipper in the air, happy clicks emanating from her mouth. Alex stroked the dolphin’s side with a loving touch. “You just performed your first dolphin command. How’d that feel?”  
  
“Surreal,” answered Maggie, voice full of wonder.  
  
“So, are you ready to take a ride?” Maggie wasn’t afraid of many things. She’d walked straight into danger countless times while with the NCPD, and here was no exception. The former detective nodded. Alex extended a hand. “Here, hold onto Gertrude’s dorsal fin with one hand and I’ll help you with the other.” Maggie did as instructed and shivered as the cold waters hit her neck. “Good, great. Now I want you as centered behind Gertrude’s fin as possible,” Maggie shifted as best she could to comply. “Perfect. I’m going to let go. Both hands on Gertrude’s fin, now. She’ll take you for a spin when I blow the whistle.” Maggie nodded. “Trust her and don’t let go.” Alex smiled. “Ready?” she asked around the whistle in her mouth.  
  
“Ready.”  
  
The whistle sounded and Gertrude jolted into action. The former detective swore she was going to lose hold of the slippery surface, but held fast onto the protruding fin. The experience she felt was wholly unique. The vertical movement of Gertrude’s body as she glided through the water, feeling the power of the sleek marine body under her. She was disappointed when the mammal stopped next to a grinning Alex.  
  
“How was it?”  
  
“Amazing,” breathed Maggie. She couldn’t think of any other word to describe it.  
  
“See,” smiled Alex, helping Maggie back onto the stage. “Gertrude doesn’t care how many legs you have. She recognizes your mind… and your fish,” laughed Alex as she fed the dolphin from the pail at her side. “And so do I. Though, I could do without eating raw fish.”  
  
Maggie laughed and hugged Alex close. They were both drenched in sea water and smelled of fish, but there was no other place Maggie wanted to be.  
  
Alex finished feeding Gertrude and clambered down from the stage onto dry land, assisting Maggie in doing the same. The scientist dashed off once again. She returned holding a towel, wearing sweatpants and a red shirt with the words ‘This shirt is blue (if you run fast enough)’ printed on it.  
  
“Lena offered me a new prosthetic. She promised it’d be good enough to get me back on the force,” said Maggie as she dried herself off.  
  
“Ah, yes. Lena does enjoy giving people a _leg up_ in life,” snorted Alex. Maggie shook her head at the scientist’s antics. “All jokes aside, Lena does amazing work. Fluffy and many other animals can testify to Lena‘s brilliance. You should accept.”  
  
“I wasn’t sure before all of this, but I think I’ll accept her offer now. I blamed myself for my partner’s death and everything else that went wrong on that mission.” Maggie thrummed her hand on her prosthetic leg in thought. “Once I recovered, I could have worked as a consultant or a PI, or anything better than some low-wage night guard. A part of me didn’t think I deserved to be normal, to have others depend on me again. But after all you’ve done for me… I’m ready to be a detective again.”  
  
Alex pressed a firm kiss to Maggie’s forehead. “That’s tremendous news! You’ll be the best damn detective in National City. No, in the entire world!”  
  
Maggie looked up at Alex, hair wet with salt water, smile flashing in the moonlight, starlight illuminating her being, and Maggie couldn’t help but agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Things get light and fluffy! Also, there’s peanuts and crackerjacks. And she’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll punch you in the face.
> 
> As always, I love to hear your thoughts below!


	5. You’re a Wanker, Number Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and balls don’t mix, Maggie hates bigots, and Lena is enthusiastic about L Corp’s newest prosthetic.

The aquarium evaluation was just around the corner and the entire staff were biting their nails in anticipation. Although Maggie Sawyer appreciated short nails, she figured Alex could let off some steam and relax. Which is why Alex and Maggie were both shouting obscenities at National City Baseball Team’s third baseman for fumbling his catch and allowing the rival team to load the bases. Alex laughed as she stuffed a handful of popcorn in her mouth. “I always thought baseball was so boring.”  
  
“Not when it’s the finals. I told you, America’s favourite pass time can get intense.”  
  
Alex let out a whoop of joy as the pitcher struck out the next batter. “Okay, okay. You win. We’ll stop by that ridiculous vegan ice cream place after this.”  
  
Maggie grinned. “So are you going to teach me how to shout at them, Danvers?”  
  
The scientist turned in her seat and shot a knowing glance at Maggie. “I’ve heard you yell at the vending machine for not giving you your chips.”  
  
“But—” protested the former detective.  
  
“I think you could tell Number Nine he’s a wanker quite easily, without my help,” grinned Alex.  
  
Maggie pouted, doing her best to over-exaggerate. “You’re no fun. I was trying to create a moment.”  
  
Alex smiled warmly. “You are all the moments I need.” The scientist leaned towards Maggie, meaning to place a kiss on her girlfriend’s lips when a cheer from the crowd halted her movement. The two women turned to see the ball soaring upwards.  
  
“I think it’s going to be a home run!” shouted Maggie, hitting Alex’s arm repeatedly in enthusiasm.  
  
Alex agreed. It looked like the ball was going to soar straight over them and out of the park.  
  
Wait, no.  
  
It was heading straight _towards_ them. Alex couldn’t believe her luck. A chance to catch a home run ball? That was a once in a lifetime moment.  
  
Then another thought flashed through her mind. _Shit._ There was a reason she chose Science Olympiad over real Olympic sports in high school.  
  
The ball flew closer.  
  
_Too_ close _._ Alex suddenly didn’t know what to do with her hands.  
  
_Much_ too close.  
  
The baseball connected with the scientist’s face with a dull crack.  
  
Alex’s hands flew up to her nose in a flurry of curse words as she felt blood imminently begin to fall.  
  
Maggie was right there too, attempting to stuff napkins into Alex’s hands, which were filling with a steady stream of blood. Alex grabbed the tissues and wadded them up against her face.  
  
“Are you okay?!” asked Maggie, panic coloring her voice.  
  
“‘m fine,” said Alex, voice muffled by the sheer number of bloody paper cloths balled under her nose. _Seriously, where did Maggie get all of these napkins?_ She looked over to see the former detective shamelessly stealing napkins from a nearby couple. _Oh, that’s where._ “I don’t think it’s broken.”  
  
“You just got hit in the face with a baseball, it’s definitely broken.”  
  
“I’m a doctor, Maggie. I think I could tell if it’s broken.”  
  
“But you work with jellyfish. They don’t even have bones,” retorted the security guard.  
  
Alex pulled the tissues away from her nose for a second. She sniffed, wincing slightly at the sting, but definitely not the pain associated with a broken nose. “It’s fine,” insisted the biologist. She placed the napkins back around her nose and motioned for the can in Maggie’s armrest. Alex closed her eyes and placed the cold soda on her face, sighing in relief.  
  
Maggie took in the scene in front of her. The initial panic had worn off, and she couldn’t help but laugh at the situation.  
  
Alex opened her eyes and cocked her head in question. “You think my misfortunes are funny, Sawyer?”  
  
“Not at all,” said Maggie through an ill-concealed chuckle. “It’s just, I knew you weren’t into sports, but you do know you catch baseballs with your hands, not your face, right?”  
  
Alex removed the napkins from her face for a moment to stick out her tongue at the former detective. “It’s not my fault. I can’t help being gay.”  
  
“What’s your sexuality have to do with your coordination?”  
  
Alex grinned mischievously. “Being a lesbian doesn’t offer me much practice handling balls.”  
  
Maggie swore she rolled her eyes hard enough for them to fall out her head. But she wasn’t surprised. Because, o _f course_ , Alex would say something like that.  
  
“Hey, I think it stopped bleeding,” said the scientist, carefully removing the tissues and soda can from her face.  
  
“Yeah, but you’ve got a little…” started Maggie, gesturing to the crimson coating Alex’s face. The former detective wetted yet more napkins and carefully set to cleaning off the dried blood. “There,” she announced proudly, cupping Alex’s face gently in her hands. “All better.”  
  
“You forgot a step, doc,” teased Alex. Maggie scrunched up her face in confusion. “Kiss it to make it better?” clarified the scientist with an impish grin.  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes, but complied. Alex’s heart skipped a beat. It still felt like something out of a movie every time Maggie’s lips touched hers. The scientist had to regularly pinch herself to assure her that this was not, in fact, a dream. That, yes indeed, the personification of perfection that is Maggie Sawyer was her girlfriend.  
  
An angry throat clear broke them apart quickly. Both women turned around to see a man dressed in a baseball cap and shorts glaring down at them.  
  
“Yes?” asked Maggie, a scathing bite to her voice.  
  
The man frowned and crossed his arms. “I don’t mind you having rights and all, but you don’t have to go waving your gay agenda in my face.”  
  
The former detective visibly bristled, and Alex placed a steadying hand on Maggie’s arm. “Excuse me?” challenged Maggie, eyes narrowing dangerously.  
  
Alex tugged on Maggie’s arm. “He’s not worth it. Just ignore him,” pleaded the scientist. She turned towards the man and tried to put on her best smile. “Let’s just drop this and enjoy the game.”  
  
“I _was_ enjoying the game, until you two showed up,” sneered the man. “You queers already ruined the rainbow for us, now you gotta do that baseball?”  
  
Alex swallowed uncomfortably. As much as the guy deserved a good punch in the face, she didn’t want to make a scene. Maggie, on the other hand, had no such qualms. She was beyond angry. She was absolutely livid. “Say one more thing, and I swear I’ll shove my foot so far up your ass…” growled Maggie.  
  
“ _Babe,_ ” whispered Alex, tugging more insistently on Maggie’s arm. The former detective just shrugged her off and glared daggers at the man. She wasn’t going to let a homophobe win.  
  
“Try me,” taunted the man. “I’d be doing the world a favour by punching a dyke.”  
  
Maggie snapped. She was beyond angry, beyond furious. Her levels of rage transcended all and elevated to the plane of complete calm. “You shouldn’t have said that.”

* * *

 

Alex extended a supporting arm as Maggie adjusted her prosthetic leg. “They should have kicked _him_ out,” muttered Maggie, giving her leg a few test steps before relinquishing her hold on Alex. “That bigot should have been banned from the stadium, not us.”  
  
“I’m pretty sure a swollen eye and broken nose will prevent him from enjoying the rest of the game,” said Alex as they walked past the many cars in the parking lot.  
  
“Well the bastard deserved a lot more than that.” Maggie stumbled, but Alex quickly caught her. “I don’t think Lena designed this leg to beat up homophobic pricks with,” smiled Maggie, reaching down and adjusting the connection.  
  
“The look on his face when you took off your leg was priceless. I think I saw him wet his pants.”  
  
Maggie chuckled and took a few more tentative steps forward. “I think I might’ve busted something on that thick skull of his. I hope Lena’s not too mad.”  
  
Alex laughed. “I’m sure she’ll just fix it and then proceed to integrate it as a feature.”  
  
“What? A built-in defensive measure against the intolerant assholes of this earth?”  
  
Alex nodded and pressed the button on her key fob. “Frankly, it’d be homophobic if she didn’t.”

* * *

 

“It’s a shame we didn’t actually get that ball,” said Alex taking another bite of her coconut vegan ice cream. The two had driven over to the ice cream parlour, as per their bet, and were enjoying their treats on a nearby park bench. Maggie’s eyes glittered playfully. “Wait a second… no you didn’t,” breathed Alex.  
  
“Yes I did,” smiled Maggie. She reached down into her bag and triumphantly held up the baseball.  
  
“No way!” Maggie handed the ball over and Alex, who turned it around in her hand. “How?”  
  
“Well it smacked you in your face and bounced right into my lap. No one noticed since you were bleeding a river from your nose.” Alex let the small gibe pass as she marveled at the small sphere in her hand. “It’s yours, if you want it.”  
  
“No, Maggie. You’re the who caught it,” said the scientist, trying to return it.  
  
The former detective smiled and pushed the ball back into Alex’s hand. “Technically you caught it. With your face.”  
  
Alex shook her head and chuckled. “I mean, you’re not wrong.”

* * *

 

Lena Luthor waited by the tank. It was one of the aquarium’s smaller rehabilitation pools, one with a slopping bottom. A solitary ring of glass and water that served for a platform to isolate or preform certain tests on the marine animals that came through the aquarium’s doors. Today, though, it would serve to help someone more human.  
  
Alex and Maggie were supposed to come by this particular tank to test Lena’s newest waterproofing on her prosthetics. They were _supposed_ to be here half an hour ago, but she knew how busy Alex had gotten with the evaluations looming. Even Kara had been spending more time there, gathering facts and information to write a piece on the benefits of the aquarium in an attempt to draw more visitors. So, Lena Luthor continued to wait.  
  
And wait.

* * *

 

Alex burst through the doors in a winded huff. “I’m so sorry we’re late, Lena. I got caught up doing things.”  
  
Maggie strode into the room in a much calmer fashion, wearing a devilish smirk. “I’m things.”  
  
The scientist turned bright red.  
  
_Error. Asdfsaie732lkjsadfMaggiefreakingSawyerafsdkjsadfioew_ , read Alex’s mental ticker tape.  
  
Maggie’s eyes sparkled with mirth at Alex’s response. The clipboard the scientist was holding clattered to the ground.  
  
_Reboot failed. Object present: ‘those fucking dimples.’_  
  
“I—No—It’s not like that!” spluttered the biologist, bending down to pick up her scattered papers. She loved Maggie with all her heart, but the former detective’s antics were sure to give her an aneurysm. “Pumpkin got into a fight and tore her ear, then King Ferdinand the Second needed his stitches taken out, then Macaroni’s pups needed their check up, and not to mention Cruller’s eye infection decided to flare _again_ ,” rambled the biologist.  
  
Lena laughed. “Relax, Alex. I’m sure you had very important _things_ to do.”  
  
Alex groaned and hugged her clipboard to her chest, cheeks flaring red again. “Can we just get on with the testing?”  
  
“Why Danvers, if you wanted me out of my clothes you could’ve just asked,” teased Maggie, winking suggestively as she pulled off her light sweatshirt. Alex pinched the bridge of her nose half in exasperation and half to stop the nose bleed Maggie was sure to cause her.  
  
Lena opened the large briefcase by her side and pulled the prosthetic from its space nested in foam. “I just got this done today. We’ve made serious adjustments to the battery. It harnesses and stores kinetic energy from everyday movements, using the battery pack as more of an auxiliary power. Hopefully, we’ll get to the point where you won’t have to ever charge your leg, which will be great for those living in places with unreliable power. But for now, the sensory input and haptic feedback requires too much power. We have a few promising designs in the theoretical stages, though. Actually, our electrical engineer just submitted a design yesterday that…” Lena trailed off and extended the mechanical leg towards Maggie. “Apologies, I’m getting carried away again.”  
  
Maggie took the prosthetic and carried it over to a nearby bench. “Not at all,” said the former detective. “It’s fascinating to get a glimpse behind the curtain. It’s pure magic to me,” marveled Maggie, extending her leg to ogle the sleek, polished metal.  
  
“Yes, well, hopefully it is as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing. The work we’ve done here at the aquarium with underwater prosthetics has greatly advanced our waterproofing technologies on all our human limbs. It’s undergone rigorous testing back at the lab. We’ve reached depths of 200 meters without any complications, so I’d appreciate your feedback on general feel.”  
  
Maggie bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, a wide smile blooming on her face. “I can already notice a difference. There’s much more… flex?”  
  
Lena nodded. “My team redesigned the circuit cases to allow for improved water protection without sacrificing mobility. It has added more elasticity to the limb in all the correct places.”  
  
The former detective handed Lena her older model leg back with a twinge of embarrassment. “This one was fantastic as well, I already gave you my notes about it, but I _may_ or may have not damaged it.”  
  
The CEO turned the mechanical limb around in her hands, scrupulously checking for any defects. “I’ll have to take it back to the lab for a full work up. May I ask how you damaged it?”  
  
Maggie cleared her throat awkwardly, searching for the correct words. “She used it like a baseball bat and bashed a homophobic jerk over the head with it,” chimed in Alex.  
  
Lena arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “I’ll see what I can do about improving durability from stress on hard surfaces,” hummed Lena thoughtfully, lips raising upwards in a ghost of a smile. She turned the prosthetic in her hands once more before placing it the case. “After you, detective,” said Lena gesturing to the pool behind her.  
  
The former detective barely set a foot in the water when she froze. A look of awe, confusion, and befuddled wonder passed over her face.  
  
“Maggie? You okay?” asked Alex from the sidelines, hands fiddling nervously with the contents of her lab coat pockets.  
  
“I…” started Maggie, unable to form any coherent thoughts. Lena looked expectantly at the former detective, still only in ankle-deep water. “I…” tried Maggie again. “Is that really?”  
  
Lena burst into a wide smile. “Temperature sensors to increase tactile feedback.”  
  
Maggie waded deeper into the water. “It’s cold… but not?” She reached her hand down, touching her prosthetic under the water. “I thought it was just a phantom feeling. But it really is…” Maggie stood in the now calf-high water, gaping down at her mechanical leg, unable to wrap her head around the incredibly alien, yet familiar feeling. “How?”  
  
“There are millions of small sensors integrated into the outer layer than run back into—”  
  
“Actually, wait. I don’t need to know,” said Maggie eagerly submerging herself the rest of the way with a delighted sound. “Lena Luthor, are you sure you don’t have superpowers? This is amazing!”  
  
Lena smiled, delighted at the former detective’s reaction. “One hundred percent human.”  
  
“You could have fooled me. This is pure magic.” Maggie was now in the deeper section of water, lazily floating on her back, reveling in the feeling. “Long weeks in the hospital and even longer months in physical therapy never would have prepared me for this moment,” said Maggie. “Even a year after loosing my leg, I still feel phantom pains. They were only harsh reminders, but now…” The former detective swam over to the tank’s edge and leaned on the rim, an ecstatic grin plastered on her face. “Lena, I could kiss you.”  
  
“Hey!” pouted Alex. “I’m still here.”  
  
Maggie waved at the scientist. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ve got a feeling our superhero of a Luthor has someone else on their mind.”  
  
Lena tilted her head to the side, an impressive fabricated look of confusion painted on her face. “Now what would make you say that?” asked the CEO, a small, coy smile breaking through her façade.  
  
Maggie shrugged, playing along with the act. “Let’s just say, I know how it is to like a Danvers,” she suggested with a wink. “It doesn’t take a detective!” called Maggie as she kicked off the side of the tank and swam away.

* * *

 

“I could sleep for days,” groaned Maggie as she flopped face down on Alex’s couch. The scientist settled down next to her, weaseling in close.  
  
Alex hummed contentedly into the former detective’s shoulder. “I could think of better ways to spend time than sleeping,” whispered the scientist.  
  
Maggie turned to face Alex, a smug grin on her face. “Bold. I like it, Danvers.”  
  
“Oh?” smirked Alex, ducking her head down to capture Maggie’s lips in a slow kiss. “What else do you like?”  
  
“I’ll show you.” Maggie surged upwards claiming her own searing kiss, and all thoughts tumbled out of the doctor’s head.  
  
Alex normally hated clichés, but there were no other words to describe the feeling than sparks. No, it was like standing in Faraday cage, brilliant arcs cracking through the air. It was electricity, it was _heat._ It was as if every nerve was a live wire. Bundles of energy, neither being created nor destroyed, passed back and forth through mutually roving hands.  
  
Maggie managed to flip their positions and Alex could feel her world slipping away from around her. It was only her and Maggie. Maggie’s lips, Maggie’s touch... The entropy of Alex’s thoughts increased exponentially, the logic she so treasured scattering to the wind. And yet, she didn’t mind one bit.  
  
It was cliché, but it was fire. It was _sparks_.  
  
And most importantly, it was Maggie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: The dreaded aquarium inspections and is that a plot I spy?
> 
> Expect a delay on my normal uploading schedule, since I finally got myself a job and am starting classes up again on Monday. 
> 
> And as always, I love hearing your thoughts and other comments below!


	6. Double Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aquarium inspection does not go as smoothly as planned aka this fic has a plot?! (Yup, and here’s the start). A nod to 2x09.

Alex Danvers swore she could wake up like this every morning for the rest of her life. The smell of pancakes wafting through the air, the soft light illuminating Maggie’s smile as she stood in the kitchen wearing one of _Alex’s_ shirts sporting the most adorable bedhead. The entire scene held the feeling that everything was _right_ in the world.  
  
“Hey, you,” greeted Maggie softly as Alex padded into the kitchen.  
  
The scientist smiled, still dopy with the remnants of sleep. “What’s all this?”  
  
“Breakfast. Today’s the big aquarium evaluation. I didn’t want you facing those government goons without a proper meal first.”  
  
The biologist poured herself a cup of coffee and took a seat at the table.  “I… You didn’t have to,” blinked Alex, surprise colouring her voice. She learned early on that Maggie was not always the most open with obvious romantic gestures. Alex knew the slightly wider smiles, the lingering touches, the way Maggie’s eyes lit up just that much more around her was Maggie’s way of showing she cared. But on some occasions, just like these, the former detective surprised her.  
  
Maggie made a small sound of admonishment before sliding a plate of pancakes in front of the scientist. “I _wanted_ to,” she smiled, leaning down and giving Alex a tender kiss.  
  
The biologist eagerly dug into her food, savouring a breakfast that wasn’t solely coffee and burnt toast. “You’re amazing, you know that?” asked Alex around a bite of deliciously fluffy pancakes.  
  
Maggie chuckled at Alex’s messy, overzealous eating habits. “Don’t you forget it, Danvers,” she grinned, setting her own plate of food on the table.  
  
Alex looked up, fully taking in the moment. Because right now, it was as if all her stress melted away. There were no patients sitting in the medical wing. There were no evaluations with the future of the aquarium resting on them. It was just her and Maggie, coffee and pancakes, and the undeniable feeling of home.

* * *

 

Less than an hour after stepping onto the aquarium’s premises, Alex desperately wished to be back in her apartment eating breakfast with Maggie. The entire staff, herself included, were running around the grounds triple checking everything and counting down the seconds until the inspectors arrived.  
  
In her many years here, Alex knew exactly how the evaluation process was handled. The two-man team sent to inspect the aquarium would stop by administrations first. They’d talk to the owner and go over finance, public relations, and other yearly reports. Then it was onto visual structural inspections and protocol assessment. Handlers would be asked questions over safety, general maintenance, and animal care. This is where Alex came in. She’d be asked questions over the emergency care, rescue efforts, and the continuing care of the animals within the aquarium. So, when the inspection team _started_ in the medical wing and marched straight up to Alex, the scientist was visibly concerned.  
  
The two men strode up to the biologist and flashed their credentials. “Eric Turner, and this is my associate Aaron Walsch. Are you Ms. Alexandra Danvers?”  
  
The scientist straightened, matching the haughty air of authority the two inspectors brought. “It’s _Doctor_ Alex Danvers,” she stressed.  
  
Turner glanced up from his clipboard from over his glasses. “Yes, well, Ms. Danvers, we’d like to see your patient logs.”  
  
Alex bristled. “Administration should have given you those files,” said the doctor, a steely undercurrent in her voice. She crossed her arms and looked over the two men in front of her with an icy glare. They were both wearing suits that could probably fund the aquarium for weeks alone, not counting their freshly polished shoes.  
  
Walsch tapped a pen on his clipboard. “I’d ask that you do not question our jobs, Ms. Danvers. We have been sent your preliminary files, but require to see the patient logs as part of our inspections. Now if you please.”  
  
“Follow me,” Alex all but growled. She spun roughly on her heels, lab coat snapping in the air. With the inspectors at her back, the doctor took a deep breath, composing herself. As much as these two men irritated her, the fate of the aquarium rested on their report.

* * *

 

“There are large discrepancies from your logs and the reports sent to us,” said Turner, adjusting his glasses with an imperious sniff.  
  
Alex suppressed the urge to rip the clipboard out of the inspector’s hands and break it across his skull. The doctor had been leading the evaluators around the aquarium for the past two hours and she was ready to scream. Turner and Walsch had both demanded to see every minute detail, report, and mechanical bolt in the entire aquarium. Not to mention they had interrogated Alex about a multitude of operations both inside and outside her job description all while undermining and belittling her at every turn.  
  
“I personally reviewed and submitted the vast majority of incident reports,” replied Alex, her voice dangerously even. “You’d have to talk to administration.”  
  
Walsch adjusted his tie with a disappointed sneer. “All these animals are under your care, are they not?” asked the inspector with a challenging edge to his voice. Walsch continued a beat later, not allowing Alex a response. “And if you did, as you said, _personally_ submit the reports, these discrepancies may lead one to believe you modified your findings. Perhaps to cover up previous and or current incidents?”  
  
Alex’s eyebrows slanted dangerously. _How dare he._ She opened her mouth to defend herself, but Walsch brushed past, verbally dismissing her.  
  
“Certainly, you can see the implications of our findings, _doctor._ ”  
  
“Your accusations are entirely unfounded, _Mr._ Walsch,” ground out Alex. A small part of her told herself to remain calm, but he had crossed a line. She could stand the disparaging comments, snide remarks, and contemptuous attitude, but questioning the quality of care she gave every animal pushed her over the edge. Alex loved her job. She loved her patients. She had poured more time and energy into the aquarium’s many residents than she did herself. She was not going to let some fancy corporate lackey say otherwise.  
  
Walsch remained unfazed at the doctor’s harsh glare. “Be that as it may, Ms. Danvers, the data does not match.” He casually brushed a bit of lint off his suit sleeve before continuing. “We will have to schedule a follow-up inspection after we receive the _unmodified_ reports.”  
  
Alex’s fingernails dug into her palms. _What did she do to deserve this?_ The doctor wasn’t sure she could muster up another visit from these two inspectors.  
  
“We’ll need the files within the week,” nodded Turner, supporting his colleague. “Until then, Ms. Danvers.” The two spun on their heels and walked out of the doors, without so much as a parting handshake.  
  
Alex unclenched her fists, taking a large steadying breath. Never had an inspection been so infuriating or had went so poorly. Anger and worry swirled in her stomach. It was as if the two inspectors were on a personal vendetta to find a reason to shut down the aquarium.  
  
The biologist pulled at her shirt collar, the world suddenly feeling too small. She glanced down at her watch. It was still only halfway through her day, but she needed to get out of here. To take a shower and rid herself of the unpleasant feeling this whole encounter had left her with.  
  
Alex all but ran to her office, slamming the door with more force than necessary. She yanked off her lab coat and threw it haphazardly in the corner, all while stuffing her keys and wallet into her pockets. Screw the shower. She needed a stiff drink.

* * *

 

“I just finished reading your article,” said Lena, waving the CatCo magazine in her hand.  
  
Kara ducked her head, attempting to hide the blush that was forming. “Oh?” The reporter slid into the chair across from Lena, doing her best to play it cool.  
  
The CEO leaned forward a fraction, as if telling a secret. “It was amazing.”  
  
Kara couldn’t contain the happiness that radiated from that statement. She adjusted her glasses with a wide grin. “Alex has been going to that aquarium since she was a kid. It’s become a large part of both of our lives. I wanted to capture the love we both have for the aquarium and share it with the world. I’m not sure if my words did it justice.”  
  
Lena waved her hand in admonishment. “Nonsense. You wrote with captivating passion, and while being incredibly informative. I’m sure the aquarium will see many new visitors.”  
  
The reporter cleared her throat awkwardly, thanking Lena despite the rapid beating of her heart and the flush that was now all too apparent on her cheeks. Kara took a large bite of frozen yogurt to clear her thoughts.  
  
Lena pushed her own frozen dessert around with a spoon. (One that Kara was much too excited about once she learned it changed colours based on temperature.) “I got a call from my mother today.”  
  
Kara immediately halted her actions and focused her attention to Lena. Matters pertaining to Lillian Luthor were never good news. “Did she… What did she want?”  
  
“Oh, the usual, mostly,” sighed Lena. “Questioning my business decisions, comparing me to my imprisoned brother…”  
  
“You know you can’t listen to anything she says.” Kara frowned, the telling distress lines forming between her eyebrows. “L Corp, no, _you_ are helping so many people. You’re crazy smart _and_ caring _and_ nice and…,” Kara trailed off, struggling to line up the many compliments bubbling forth.  
  
Lena smiled sadly and shrugged. “L Corp is only a small force in the scope of the world. I feel I should do more, _can_ do more. And then there’s my mother, constantly doubting and finding something wrong with my decisions. I’ve long since stopped actively searching for her approval, yet…”  
  
Kara slid her hand across the table, gently resting it on the CEO’s. “You’re a modern-day superhero,” said Kara warmly, hating the hurt look in Lena’s eyes. “And I should know, because I’m—because I’ve interviewed Supergirl.”  
  
“Thank you.” Lena looked up at Kara, a small smile breaking through her morose exterior. “But that’s not why I brought up the depressing topic of my mother. She mentioned the aquarium.” Kara’s head tilted to the side, intrigued. “It might have just been one of her rants, but she specifically disproved of my donations to the aquarium. She said it could be money better spent somewhere else. That I was backing a frivolous endeavour when there were more important issues like, I quote, the alien menaces.”  
  
Kara stiffened at the last comment, straitening her back and pushing up her glasses. “Are you sure it wasn’t just a jab?”  
  
Lena shook her head. “Perhaps… But there was something about the way she said it…” The CEO bit her lip. “I thought you should know, and relay it to Alex. My mother maybe planning something.”  
  
“I’ll tell Alex to look for anything out of the ordinary.” Kara stabbed her spoon into her food. “I haven’t heard from her yet today. The inspections should’ve been done at least an hour ago and I told her to text me afterwards.”  
  
“Alex takes wonderful care of her animals, there shouldn’t be any problems. She’s probably caught up in her work.”  
  
Kara nodded absently, not entirely convinced. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

* * *

 

Alex Danvers was far from work. She was far from her apartment as well. Alex had jumped in her car and gunned it to the outskirts of town and into a bar where no one knew her name. It was barely even five o’clock and she was already nursing her third double whiskey.  
  
There were only a handful of people in the bar, all keeping a respective distance away from the angry, brooding scientist at the counter. Alex didn’t mind. She relished the solidarity. It was just her, whiskey, and her thoughts.  
  
The scientist had spent the first half hour fuming about the two sea sponges of inspectors—living beings with no hearts, brain, or blood, but quickly retracted her statement because comparing them to the underwater creatures was offensive to sea sponges.  
  
She had spent the next hour worrying over the state of the aquarium. A bad evaluation could spell the end of the National City Aquarium and Alex couldn’t help but to blame herself. In her head, she ran through every question the inspectors asked. She picked apart and analyzed every word of her responses. _Had she said enough? Too much? If she just kept her anger in better check…_ The alcohol had created an unpleasant buzz of thoughts, swirling around in a vicious cycle.  
  
Alex took another sip of whiskey, not registering the slight burn as the liquid made its way down. Her phone buzzed with a text. It was Kara asking, yet again, how she was doing and if the inspections went well. The scientist ignored the message, along with the others previously sent by her sister and Maggie asking the same things. Alex swallowed the last drops of amber liquid and lazily waved her hand at the bartender for a refill.  
  
Another buzz came from her phone, but this time it continued, signalling a phone call. Alex groaned. She didn’t want to be bothered. The scientist was about to turn off her device completely when she noticed the caller ID stated “S. Vasquez.” Work. She sighed, thumb hovering over the accept call button. On the last ring, she answered.  
  
Vasquez didn’t wait for a greeting before she started talking, her voice steady and all business. “Danvers, it’s Gertrude. She’s sick.”  
  
The words sobered Alex more than any cold shower ever could. Her entire world simultaneously sped up and came to a jarring halt. She hastily slapped more than enough cash onto the bar and ran out to flag down the nearest taxi. By the time Alex arrived at the aquarium, her mind was churning in a haze of panic and alcohol.  
  
Vasquez barely blinked when Alex stumbled into the quarantine section and almost tripped over her own feet to make it to Gertrude’s side. “Elevated temperature, loss of appetite, slowed movements. I’m currently running a full blood panel,” reported Vasquez, not bothering to comment on Alex’s ragged appearance or the strong smell of alcohol on her clothes.  
  
The veterinary tech had been working with Alex from the start of the doctor’s career. She had come to learn all of Alex’s idiosyncrasies and eccentrics. From the rambling trains of thought, to the skittles that would occasionally fall out of her lab coat pockets. That also meant Vasquez had been witness to Alex’s low points. From the self-destructive behaviour after losing a patient, to disregarding her own health to improve the health of an animal. Although the tech shared parts of Alex’s pain, she also found no amount of words from her helped. The best thing she could do was give the doctor space.  
  
Alex nodded numbly, trembling hands reaching down into the tank to caress the dolphin suspended there. “Thank you. I’ll take it from here.” The scientist’s voice was tight with fear. She couldn’t lose her best friend.  
  
“I’ll deliver the results of the blood tests once they are finished,” said Vasquez briefly placing a reassuring hand on the doctor’s shoulders before leaving.  
  
“Hey there, Gertrude,” whispered Alex, running her hand over the dolphin’s slick, grey skin. “What’s wrong, girl?” Gertrude exhaled weakly, water droplets misting into the air. “Don’t worry. I’ll fix you. I’ll make you better.”  
  
It felt like the weight of the universe rested on Alex’s chest. A black hole of bad news settled on her heart, swallowing any traces of happiness she dared feel this morning or even these past few weeks. Alex sighed, leaning heavily on the glass rim. It was inevitable. Life was going too well. She was too happy. Of course, the universe would dash all of that away.  
  
Alex’s phone buzzed. The scientist reluctantly tore herself away from Gertrude to look down at the screen. A message from Maggie shone back at her, the small heart next her name mocking her. _Richard agreed to take my shift tonight. Do you want to come over?_ The scientist ran a hand, still damp with salt water, through her hair.  
  
It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that things between her and Maggie had felt so perfect. It wasn’t fair that the aquarium could be shut down. It wasn’t fair that Gertrude was sick. Alex cursed and sunk down to the ground, back resting against the cool glass of Gertrude’s tank. It just wasn’t fair that all of this had to be happening when Maggie was on the rise to be a detective again.  
  
Alex pinched the bridge of her nose and stared down at the message. Maggie didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve to be weighed down with Alex’s problems, Alex’s baggage. The aquarium. Gertrude. It’s all Alex’s fault.  
  
 _I’m sorry. This, us, was a mistake,_ types out the scientist. Alex’s thumb hovers over send. Seconds tick by. Minutes, perhaps. She’s not sure. Alex pockets her phone without pressing send and dives into her work instead. Her full attention towards Gertrude.  
  
Alex runs a series of diagnostic tests, working long into the night, all thoughts of Maggie pushed stubbornly down. Eventually, the doctor falls asleep, curled up on the hard floor next to Gertrude, the text still unsent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Alex opens up about her past and Lena learns more about the dubious circumstances surrounding the inspection.
> 
> Whoops. My hand slipped and now there’s a bit of angst. But no worries, Sanvers deserves fluff, and they’ll get it! Posting schedule will still be delayed due to my inability to juggle work, school, and sleep. 
> 
> And as always, I love to hear your thoughts below!


	7. One, Two, Three, Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginnings of Lillian Luthor’s plot against the aquarium is revealed, Alex and Maggie help each other heal, and I told you there’d be plenty of Sanvers fluff.

“How about this one, huh girl?” asked Alex, leaning against Gertrude’s tank, holding a stack of medical journals. The scientist cleared her throat and snapped the thick pages resting in hands. “Development and Validation of a Brain Phantom for Therapeutic Cooling Devices.” Alex hummed thoughtfully and adjusted her sitting position. “Let’s see. A thermal brain phantom composed of a potassium-neutralized, superabsorbent copolym—”  
  
The biologist was interrupted as Gertrude exhaled heavily, misting the printed journal with droplets of saltwater.  
  
“Alright, I get it. Not your cup of tea.” Alex leafed through the pages before settling on another article. “How about: A Physically Realizable Three-Dimensional Bone Prosthesis Design with—” The scientist was cut off yet again as a nearby machine beeped, calling her to its attention. “I suppose interpolated microstructures will just have to wait.”  
  
A soft, weak click resounded from Gertrude’s beak.  
  
Alex chuckled. “I’m sorry I don’t keep around more entertaining books. I know you’re a fan of Dr. Seuss’ _One Fish Two Fish_.”  
  
Gertrude moved forward a fraction, her sluggish tail causing a small amount of water to spill over the tank’s edge.  
  
“You know you’re a mammal, right? Not a fish. Red, blue, or otherwise.” Another exhale of breath from Gertrude sent small droplets of water into the air. “And Dr. Seuss wasn’t even a doctor. _I_ have a doctorate.” A small series of clicks. “You’re lucky that you’re sick right now,” said Alex, turning away from the machine’s monitor to wave a playful finger at the dolphin. “That sort of attitude wouldn’t work in any other situation.”  
  
Alex hadn’t returned home since receiving Vasquez’s call about Gertrude. She had spent that Saturday night curled up next to the dolphin, and barely moved from the room since. The doctor had awoken with a nasty knot in her neck and several sore spots, but had quickly brushed all of it away to continue working on making Gertrude better. Yesterday’s clothes clung uncomfortably at her skin and her body protested the minimal nutrition of vending machine granola bars, but her patient’s, her friend’s health came first. Any discomfort Alex felt was nothing compared to what Gertrude must be feeling.  
  
Liver failure. Alex knew that much. Gertrude’s liver was failing, yet she had no idea why. So, she continued to do what she could, treating symptoms while following snippets of clues to the main source of the problem.

* * *

 

Alex Danvers’ phone died around noon. She didn’t bother recharging it. It would just be distraction. The multiple missed calls from Kara, the texts piling up from Maggie. All distractions.  
  
_Maggie._ The scientist shook her head, the weight of the unsent words to the former detective still pulling at the back of her mind. _Was their relationship truly a mistake?_ Alex couldn’t fathom how someone whose mere presence lifted her spirits could be bad, but someone like that also did not deserve the weight of Alex’s problems. And she knew she had many.  
  
Alex blinked hard, the numbers on Gertrude’s chart coming back into focus. The thought of Maggie moved back to the recesses of her thoughts, still tugging at her heart. She resolutely ignored it. She ignored it just like the burning piece of knowledge about the bottle of scotch locked in her office cabinet.  
  
They were all just distractions. And she had a job to do.

* * *

 

Maggie Sawyer was worried. She was used to not hearing from Alex for extended periods of time, but even this was a long amount of radio silence. It was Sunday and the aquarium was closed for a holiday, so the former detective had been eager to spend their shared free time together, but Alex had yet to respond to her multiple calls or texts. Her instincts, honed from years working in the NCPD, told her something was wrong.  
  
Despite the many advantages of Maggie’s newest prosthetic, at this very moment she hated it. The sensory feedback she first marveled at, now served to feed the growing anxiety twisting in her gut. For so long, she’d associated any phantom feeling from her lost limb to be past, painful reminders. Reminders of the failures of that fateful mission. Reminders of the loss of her partner and her job.  
  
With a clear mind, it was easy to mentally check herself. To assess whether her prosthetic had a true physical feeling, or if it was all in her head. But with the worry over Alex’s sudden loss in communications, the foreign stimuli were all too much to handle. Sensations ran unchecked and dredged up past feelings she was working so hard to overcome.  
  
In an attempt to distract herself, the former detective had managed to finish a long morning run, light subsequent workout, and hours of studying for her detective’s exam. But she still had yet to get a response from Alex. So, it was understandable that when Maggie’s phone rang, she all but ran to answer it.  
  
“Is Alex with you?” asked the voice on the other end.  
  
“Kara?”  
  
“Yeah,” identified the younger Danvers sister, panic colouring her voice. “I haven’t heard from her all day and Vasquez just called me with bad news. She only does that if she thinks Alex is really going downhill. She mentioned Gertrude was sick and something about the evaluations going poorly and I—” rambled the reporter.  
  
“Calm down, Kara. Deep breath.” The former detective could hear the heavy inhale on the other end. “What’s this about the aquarium?”  
  
“The evaluations. News broke today that Alex maybe under review for possible negligence.”  
  
“That’s impossible.”  
  
“I know, right! I wanted to check if she was with you. Tell me she’s somewhere safe,” implored Kara.  
  
Maggie shook her head, the worry that had been building all day suddenly reaching its pinnacle. “No, she’s not. You said Gertrude was sick?”  
  
“Yes, Alex must be devastated. She’s… _oh._ ”  
  
The scientist’s location dawned on both Kara and Maggie at the same time. _Of course._ “The aquarium,” they said in unison.  
  
“Why didn’t she tell me?” asked Kara under her breath. “She can be so stubborn,” growled out the reporter. Maggie couldn’t help but agree. “I’m… I’ve got a… work emergency that I can’t step away from. I’ve seen how Alex acts around you. Maybe you can stop her from spiraling?”  
  
“I’ll go check on her,” said Maggie, already grabbing her keys. “Can’t have Supergirl ducking out of work.”  
  
“What are you talking about?” There’s a string of baffled, incoherent spluttering on the other end, and Maggie allows a small smile to creep through the blanket of worry that’s settled over her.  
  
“Face it, Kara. Your identity is the worst best kept secret. I was a detective, remember? You’ve even taken off your glasses during game night to clean them and there are close up pictures of you as Supergirl plastered on the media daily. It’s not hard.”  
  
There’s a long silence. Maggie is already pulling out of the underground parking lot when Kara finally speaks. “Oh.” It’s quiet, almost inaudible.  
  
“Yes, Little Danvers.”  
  
“You’re… you’re not going to tell anyone, right?”  
  
“Of course not.”  
  
There’s another small pause. “I’m… I’m glad you know. You mean so much to Alex. She hates keeping the secret from you.”  
  
Maggie isn’t sure how to respond. She’s used to the bubbly, shining ray of sunshine Kara Danvers, not this emotional weight that now hangs on Kara’s voice. She can feel herself falling into a feeling she’s never experienced before. It’s acceptance. Trust. It’s warmth. It’s family.  
  
The former detective’s voice is soft, but she hopes she conveys all she feels. “Thank you.”

* * *

 

“Thought I’d find you here,” whispered Maggie, the sound amplifying in the extensive vacant space of the open ocean exhibit. The aquarium was empty. No staff were around on their day off and the lights were dimmed save for the ethereal blue glow emanating from the tanks. The low whirr and hum of pumps and movement of water were the only sounds echoing in the vast space.  
  
Alex made no acknowledgment of the detective’s presence. She was sitting in a sequestered corner of the giant open ocean exhibit room, staring down an unopened bottle of scotch. Maggie sat down next to the scientist and gently pushed the bottle out of view. “Kara told me about Gertrude and the aquarium inspection. Do you want to talk?”  
  
Maggie’s presence washes over Alex, and in that instant, Alex couldn’t believe she ever wanted to end this, their relationship. To end this undeniable feeling of home.  
  
Alex sighed and rested her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “I almost broke up with you. Over text. How stupid.” Maggie doesn’t say anything, opting to gather Alex into a hug. The scientist leaned into the touch, seeking the strength to continue. “Every time I take time to do something for myself, to be happy about something that’s not work, or Kara, or…” Alex frowned, struggling to find the words, “It feels like every time that happens, the universe just magically slaps me down from being happy. It’s always ended badly for me and I was, am, _happy_ with you. I didn’t want to drag you into my problems. You’re going up in the world, back to being a detective. And I’m here barely holding onto the pieces of my life.”  
  
“You’re my _girlfriend,_ Alex. That means we share our feelings, our burdens. Don’t think for one second I don’t want to help you. I’m here for you, just like you have been for me. Ride or die, Danvers,” murmured Maggie. “You’re allowed to be happy.”  
  
“I know, I know. I keep telling myself that, but…” Alex took a deep breath. “Do you know I’m under investigation now? With Gertrude inexplicably falling ill, the supposed gaps in my paperwork… It’s grounds for suspicion of neglect. And I can’t help but think that I made a mistake. That Gertrude, that the entire aquarium is going to pay for that.”  
  
“You take better care of this aquarium than yourself,” chastised Maggie lightly. “Whatever this is, we’ll get through it. Together.”  
  
An easy silence passes between the two, both simply taking comfort in their shared presence.  
  
“Have I told you why I wanted to be a Marine Biologist?”  
  
Maggie nodded, careful not to disturb Alex’s rest on her shoulder. “You and your parents would come to the aquarium all the time and you fell in love with the animals here.”  
  
Alex hummed in agreement, looking into the rippling water. “Yes, but not entirely.” The scientist unfolded herself and wrapped an arm around Maggie, the detective naturally snuggled in close. “I think you’ve leveled up enough to unlock the unabridged version.”  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes and punched Alex lightly on the leg. “Nerd.”  
  
“Hey, now. I’m trying to be serious.” The scientist placed a gentle kiss on Maggie’s forehead. “When Kara first came to live with us I was so happy I finally had a sister. But it was hard adjusting to life with an alien as a sister. She required so much coaching, so much patience. It was a lot of responsibility for a teenager to handle. I got jealous of the increased amount of time Kara spent with my parents. I got annoyed at Kara’s mistakes. And my parents hated how many fights I got into from defending Kara.  
  
“I started to go to the aquarium again once Kara started to adapt to Earth life. She’d go to her after school extra-curriculars and I’d take my homework, or some book I was reading, here. The open ocean exhibit was my favourite. This corner was always quiet, and I could just watch the flow of water and all the living creatures swimming by. It was my safe haven. Away from the pressures of my parents, the worry over Kara, the stress of school…” Alex trailed off and the two sat in comfortable silence, the glowing blue light dancing across the safely absconded couple.  
  
“See,” continued the scientist, “Kara could fly in the air. But here, I could feel like I was the superhero. Because underwater, all marine creatures were like aliens that could fly. And sitting here, I imagined that I could too.” Alex leaned further back into the glass. “I went to National City University and, forgive the pun, tanked. I’d felt this immense pressure to always be Kara’s anchor, to be smarter, to be more than I was. The stress of it all finally got to me. I started drinking and desperately sought anything that would help me escape my reality.  
  
“Kara had to come and drag me out of a bar in the middle of nowhere well past closing one night. I’d been on some week-long bender and Kara was so worried, but I didn’t seem to care. I woke up in my apartment the next day with some medical journal stuck to my face. Drunk me must’ve thought it wise to do some heavy reading,” chuckled Alex. “I was going to toss it in the trash, but stopped to read it. It was open to an article about how negative ions can increase your mood. It is an accepted explanation for why moods lift after a thunderstorm, or sitting by a body of moving water. The water churns up negative ions in the air and causes a biochemical reaction that reduces stress.”  
  
“The aquarium,” breathed Maggie.  
  
Alex nodded. “If that wasn’t a sign, I didn’t know what was. I got myself a therapist and started to come to the aquarium every day again. The staff let me in at any hour, I even spent some of my more difficult nights here. It took time, I almost fell back into a spiral on many occasions but I persisted. I studied hard, got an internship here, and was offered a job immediately after graduating top of my class. I studied under the previous head marine veterinarian for two years before he handed the title to me and retired.”  
  
Maggie gathered Alex’s hand in her own and squeezed. “I’m so proud of you, babe.”  
  
“It hasn’t been a perfect recovery. There are still things, still animal deaths that drive me to hide in bathrooms with whiskey. But I’ve learned better restraint. I’ve learned so much more about myself. The animals here: Fluffy, Gertrude, and so many more. They’ve each saved my life in ways I cannot begin to fathom. I don’t know if I could handle the aquarium being shut down.”  
  
Maggie extracted herself from Alex’s hold and turned to embrace her fully in a hug. Alex’s breaths grew heavy, her throat constricted with unushered tears. “It’s okay,” whispered Maggie into Alex’s hair. She placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “It’s okay, babe. I’ve got you.”  
  
And in the quiet corner of National City Aquarium’s open ocean exhibit, Alex never felt safer than in Maggie’s arms. So, Alex Danvers, marine biologist, veterinarian, daughter, sister, _girlfriend_ carefully lowered her emotional barriers. She allowed herself to step down from the role of big sister, protector, anchor, caregiver.  
  
She allowed herself to be loved.

* * *

* * *

 

Lena Luthor knew her mother better than she cared to admit. At first, it was a matter of safety, of self preservation. Lena learned quickly in life that upsetting her mother spelled disaster for her and her family. And Lena clung to feeling of family, even if it was a fractured, cheap facsimile. It was all she had. Keeping her mother happy held together those broken pieces and shadowy echoes of the feeling of family. So, Lena learned how her mother thought, anticipated her mother’s actions, and read her mother’s emotions expertly.  
  
It was this reason why Lena knew Lillian Luthor had something to do with the ongoing investigation concerning the accusations against Alex Danvers.  
  
“Oh hey!” came the cheery voice over the phone.  
  
“Hi, Kara. There’s something I think you and your sister should see.”

* * *

 

Alex woke to someone gently shaking her shoulder. “Hey, sleepyhead,” murmured Maggie as Alex blinked awake. The doctor was resting on a mismatched bundle of blankets and pillows Maggie had brought by one day, knowing no matter how hard the former detective tried, Alex would spend most her nights next to Gertrude until the dolphin regained her strength.  
  
The scientist yawned and sat upright, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Maggie tried her best to suppress a chuckle at Alex’s hair, pointing in every direction on one side of her head. “Sorry. I stayed up late. Had to take a nap.”  
  
“It’s fine. Kara called me. She said Lena has some important information for us.”  
  
Alex reached down and looked at her phone, seeing two missed calls from her sister. She must have slept through both. “About what?”  
  
“The aquarium, you, and Lillian Luthor.”  
  
“Lena’s mother?”  
  
Maggie nodded. “Kara wasn’t making the best of sense. But it sounded important.”  
  
“Then we should go now.”  
  
Maggie smiled and affectionately smoothed down Alex’s bedhead. “You should brush your hair first. And probably your teeth. When’s the last time you showered?”  
  
Alex shrugged, blushing. “Tuesday? Yesterday? I’m not sure, the days are all blending together.”  
  
“I’m sure Kara and Lena can wait five more minutes to break the news. Let’s get you back to feeling like a human being.”  
  
“A nice, hot shower does sound good,” hummed Alex, picking herself off of the floor. A mischievous smile appeared on her face. “But you know what would be even better?”  
  
Maggie took one look at Alex’s expression and knew the answer. She played along regardless. “What would that be, Danvers?”  
  
“If you joined me.”

* * *

 

“So you’re saying Lillian Luthor bribed government officials to change and falsify the paperwork Alex sent in?” asked Kara, looking down at the tablet.  
  
Lena, Kara, Alex, and Maggie were all huddled around the reporter’s dining room table reviewing a money trail Lena had picked up on, implicating Lillian as the instigator of Alex’s negligence investigation.  
  
“She most likely bribed others as well,” said Lena, swiping through more documents. “My mother’s accounts are far too secure, but I had my best computer scientist run checks on those evaluators that came to the aquarium, Eric Turner and Aaron Walsch. They recently came into a large sum of money.”  
  
“That doesn’t explain Gertrude,” countered Alex. “Her tank was infected with a strain of Microcystis. It’s a freshwater bacteria that causes liver and tissue damage. There’s no way that could occur naturally in aquarium environments.”  
  
Lena tapped the tablet’s screen and a list of aquarium personnel appeared. “It took a few days, but I had my tech run bank account checks on all National City Aquarium staff. There’s two employees that also came into a sizable portion of money around the same time as Turner and Walsch. It can’t be a coincidence. They must have been hired to poison the tanks without your knowledge.”  
  
Maggie frowned. “That maybe true, but there’s no way we can use this evidence in court. Without supporting documentation, it’s circumstantial and was obtained without a warrant. We would have nothing to go on.”  
  
“Then we work to find something usable in court,” said Lena, her voice full of determination. She knows her mother is trying to spite her. To punish her friends in order to hurt Lena. “I have connections to some of the best lawyers in the nation. One piece of evidence linking my mother to this could have Alex’s entire negligence accusation rescinded.”  
  
Kara nodded in agreement, movements sharp. She straightened her back and pushed her glasses up resolutely. “Let’s take Lillian Luthor down.”

* * *

 

“Things are looking up,” said Maggie, sitting down next to Alex on the couch. “Gertrude is improving and Lena might have found the key to getting this ridiculous investigation suspended.”  
  
Alex nodded snuggling up close. “I can’t wait to put this nightmare behind us. These past few days have been a terrible ordeal. Gertrude’s condition dropped to critical more times than I could count and it feels like a new government official in a monkey suit harasses me at work every hour. And, oh, I haven’t even stopped to ask you how _you’re_ doing. The detective exam is almost a week away.”  
  
“Me? Please, Danvers. I’m fine. I know you’re busy.”  
  
Alex shoved Maggie playfully with her shoulder. “Yeah, and you’ve only got the restart of your career on the line. We’re both under a lot of stress.”  
  
“I passed the test once before. I can do it again.”  
  
The scientist reached over Maggie and grabbed a notecard from the large stack sitting on the end table. “Okay, so tell me. A Judicial Probable Cause Determination must be made no later than how many hours from the time of actual arrest?”  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Really, Danvers? Now?” She made to snatch the flashcard out of Alex’s hand, but the doctor quickly moved it out of reach.  
  
“Hey, no peaking!”  
  
“Forty-eight hours,” said Maggie with an annoyed huff.  
  
Alex grinned. “Correct!” The scientist leaned forward and planted a kiss on Maggie’s lips. “And there’s your reward.”  
  
“You’re such a dork sometimes.”  
  
The scientist smiled softly, head tilting to the side. “But I’m your dork.”  
  
“Yeah,” whispered Maggie, voice almost inaudible.  
  
Alex tucked her feet under herself and nestled close to Maggie, falling into a position that had become almost second nature by now. A sensation tugged at her heart. Not from grief, or pain. But from warmth. From happiness. Words bubbled forth, unbridled, unable to be contained. They needed to be said. It was as if one more breath without uttering them would cause the world to cease spinning.  
  
The biologist’s voice was low, only a shade above a whisper, but the weight of her words seemed to amplify the sound, filling the entirety of the apartment. “I love you, Maggie Sawyer.”  
  
Maggie stilled, heart beating in her chest, her mouth suddenly dry. She blinked, the gravity of the simple words sinking in, a wide smile blooming on her face. “And I love you, Alex Danvers.”  
  
She knew that it was their first time exchanging those words, but deep down in her heart, it felt as if they’d been saying them since the first time they met.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Alex and Maggie had shared many kisses, but this one was different. It was salt water and late nights at the aquarium. It was baseball games and ice cream. It was secret smiles and shared blushes. It was movie nights and pyjamas. It was coffee and pancakes. It was warmth. Comfort. Love.  
  
It felt like coming home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Alex, Maggie, Kara, and Lena all fight to save the place that saved them. 
> 
> Definitely should be sleeping, but I had to get you lovely readers back on the fluffy side of things. I have a couple of exams, as well as a full work schedule next week, so expect a continuation of erratic/delayed updates.
> 
> And as always, I love to read your questions, feedback, and more below!


	8. Stronger Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex is proud of her girlfriend, Lena and Kara exchange heartfelt words, and everyone hates Lillian (Seriously, she’s the absolute worst).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back! Woot! Sorry for the wait. You may notice (due to some events occurring in the story) I started writing this back in June… But as promised, sentence by sentence, week by month by week, I slowly finished another chapter—the longest one to date!
> 
> Enjoy!

Alex paced back and forth in front of the NCPD precinct, resisting the urge to pick the petals off the bouquet gripped tightly in her hands. Maggie was due to exit those doors any minute now. She had passed her physical and shooting aptitude tests with flying colors the day before, and now only the written exam remained.  
  
The scientist had full confidence in Maggie, but that didn’t stop her from quizzing herself on every scrap of knowledge she could recall in order to try and alleviate the nerves building up as each second passed by. Naming all 206 human bones only passed three minutes of time. The names of streets starting from Grant and ending in Main passed another two. A substantial list of foods starting with the letter S helped five minutes go by. Currently, Alex was working her way through the steps of each of the major metabolic pathways, hoping it would buy her the remaining few minutes.  
  
Halfway through the citric acid cycle, Maggie strode through the precinct doors and all but hopped down the steps with a grin on her face. Alex halted her pacing and turned to face Maggie with an expectant look. “Easy as pie,” smirked Maggie, stealing a kiss.  
  
The scientist broke into a large smile and gathered Maggie into a tight hug. “You’re a detective again?” asked Alex, her voice muffled in Maggie’s leather jacket.  
  
“Yeah.” The response was quiet, almost whispered into the scientist’s ear, but it was tight with emotion.  
  
The biologist gave one final squeeze before breaking the contact and extending the bouquet of flowers towards the newly re-minted detective. “For you,” stated Alex with an over exaggerated bow. “For your _growing_ accomplishments and since you _rose_ to the challenge.”  
  
“Nerd.” Maggie rolled her eyes at the scientist’s antics, but accepted the gift with a smile she couldn’t hide if she tried. “Well, are we going to celebrate or not?”  
  
Alex grinned and wrapped an arm around Maggie’s shoulder as they started to walk towards the parking garage. “Definitely. I’ve got something big planned.”  
  
The detective hummed contently, leaning into Alex’s side as they walked. “Oh? And what would that be?”  
  
“You’ll just have to wait and see.”

* * *

 

“You never cease to amaze me, Danvers,” smiled Maggie, flicking a blob of green paint at the biologist.  
  
“This is your last chance to do something illegal!” protested Alex retaliating with her own splat of blue paint. “Your paperwork still needs to get finalized to issue you a badge, so during this limbo time, you’re exempt from all illegal activities.”  
  
“That’s… that’s not how the law works.”  
  
Alex stuck out her tongue playfully. “I know that. But it’s pride month, we’re celebrating that you’re a detective again, and last I checked we’re both very, very gay.”  
  
“Well, you’re not wrong there. But when you said celebrate I expected cake and alcohol, not painting the baseball stadium stands as one giant rainbow.”  
  
“Hey, like you said all those weeks ago, security should’ve kicked that homophobe out, not us. Plus, it looks better this way,” said Alex. “And you’re having fun, right?” Maggie nodded enthusiastically, continuing to slather on more green paint. “That’s all that matters then,” grinned Alex.  
  
“You’re such a dork.”  
  
“But you love me.”  
  
“Yeah, I do.”  
  
There was a beat of silence as the two exchanged smitten smiles before returning to the task at hand.  
  
“Hey guys, are you almost done?” called a voice from above.  
  
Maggie and Alex both looked up to see Supergirl slowly descending onto the stadium stands.  
  
“Just need to finish the violet,” replied Alex.  
  
“There’s some people coming this way. We have to go,” insisted Kara, bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet.  
  
“Not all of us have super speed, Little Danvers,” quipped Maggie picking up the violet paint.  
  
“Well, the guards are only a few minutes away and Lena’s security camera feed loop is not going to hold if they physically see you two here.”  
  
“We can’t leave the rainbow violet-less,” argued Alex. “Plus, I’ve never left a job unfinished.”  
  
“What about when you didn’t unpack for a whole four months after you moved into your apartment? Or that time you almost burned down your place trying to cook paella and ended up just ordering pizza? Or what about when—”  
  
“Ok, Kara. I get it. But this is different. Please, just help us finish this.”  
  
“Supergirl can’t just use her powers for trivial means. Not to mention,” Kara lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned in, “breaking the law.”  
  
It was Alex’s turn to needle her sister. “Oh? So, warming up Cat’s coffee with heat vision isn’t trivial? Or using super speed to get to work on time when you slept in? Or how about that time when you used your super hearing to—”  
  
“Alex!”  
  
The scientist looked over at her sister with mock innocence painted on her face. “Yes, Kara?”  
  
“Fine, I’ll help.”

* * *

 

“You know, for 900 bucks a bottle, you’d think 30-year old whiskey is better,” commented Alex, wrinkling her nose after taking a sip.  
  
“I actually like it,” supplied Maggie, sinking deeper into the couch and moving her plate of finished chocolate cake to the coffee table.  
  
Alex took another sip. “It just doesn’t taste like whiskey should,” commented the scientist, automatically wrapping an arm around Maggie.  
  
“Well you know what they say,” started the detective. “Sometimes, things that are expensive… are worse.”  
  
Alex untangled herself from Maggie and sat bolt upright, an incredulous look on her face. “Maggie Sawyer, you did not just quote a _meme_ to me.”  
  
The detective chuckled and took another sip of whiskey, the soapstone cubes clinking lightly on the sides of the glass. “I blame your sister. She’s always sending me cute animal photos and ridiculous internet posts. You’d think between reporting and saving the world that girl wouldn’t have as much time to surf the web as she does.”  
  
“It’s almost like she’s an alien,” joked Alex.  
  
As if on cue, both Maggie and Alex’s phones pinged with a message from Kara.

 

_How did we miss[this?????](http://www.boredpanda.com/cute-zoo-animal-tweet-off/)_ _  
  
I demand we restart this war.  
  
Popcorn is so much cuter than all of them._

 

Alex spared a moment to open the link, scrolling through a couple photos before Maggie interrupted with an excited slap on the scientist’s arm.  
  
“Look!” The detective pointed towards the screen where a 360° video clip of National City’s baseball stadium was being shown. The stands were painted in bold stripes of color, starting at red and ending in violet to form a giant rainbow.  
  
“Nice work, Sawyer,” praised Alex, a wry smile spreading on her face as she watched the TV footage.  
  
“Likewise, Danvers,” smirked Maggie in return.  
  
“We make a pretty good team, huh?”  
  
“Yeah,” hummed Maggie contentedly, returning to her comfortable position in Alex’s arms. “That we do.”

* * *

* * *

 

“I have some of the best Private Investigators on the case and they still haven’t turned up anything directly tying my mother to this whole fiasco,” said Lena, gesturing at the piles of dead end reports on her desk.  
  
“We have the security footage of the aquarium employees sabotaging Gertrude’s tank, and their testimonies saying they were paid to do just that,” insisted Kara.  
  
“It got those two fired, but we still can’t link them to Lillian in any way,” clarified Maggie. “I had our NCPD computer techs scrub both the employees’ computers and it turned up with nothing. She covered her cyber tracks extremely well.”  
  
Alex sighed, exasperated. “We’ve been running in these same exact loops for the past week now. There’s nothing new and Lillian’s goons still _somehow_ have traction to continue to pursue the malpractice lawsuit.”  
  
Maggie silently slid a comforting hand over Alex’s and the scientist relaxed a fraction, giving the detective a small, thankful smile.  
  
“My lawyers assure me that for anything Lillian has, we have a winning argument against,” said Lena. “But that doesn’t mean my mother isn’t resourceful. She’s rich, vindictive, and very much determined. That isn’t the… best of combinations.” The CEO shook her head. “She has made it clear that she is only pursuing this lawsuit to blackmail me into handing over L-Corp’s supply of Isotope 454 to meet whatever ends in her deranged plan concerning ‘the alien plague.’ I know she’s our enemy, but I still struggle to accept the fact that my _mother_ is going to such great lengths to spite me.”  
  
“This is Lillian we’re talking about,” commented Maggie.  
  
“I know,” sighed Lena. “Cognitively, I understand. But she’s still my mother.”  
  
Kara’s head snapped up, her eyes intensely rooted on Lena’s downtrodden form. “She stopped being your mother the second she made you feel unloved. For all those years of being cold, uncaring, manipulative. You owe her nothing.”  
  
“I…” Lena started to protest, but silenced herself. “Thank you, Kara.”  
  
The reporter transformed from ferocious guard dog to excitable puppy in a blink of an eye, dropping her piercing glare and breaking out into a large smile. “We’re your family now,” said Kara cheerfully, flippantly, as if it wasn’t the single most comforting thing Lena has heard. “You’ve got Alex and Maggie, your sometimes overbearing, but protective and adorably loveable, softies of sisters,” both women frowned at the description, but didn’t even think to challenge it. “And you’ve got me! Your… your…” Kara fumbled with a descriptor for herself. _Friend? Confidant?_  
  
Lena smiled gently. “My hero.”  
  
“Yeah! Your h—” Kara stuttered to a stop and blinked, absorbing the words. She blushed and adjusted her glasses one too many times. “No, no. I’m just a reporter. I’m the awkward little sister. I—I’m not like a _superhero_ or anything.” Kara whispered the word like a little kid just learning to swear.  
  
“You are not just a reporter,” insisted Lena. “You are someone that has a way with words, that connects with people, that cares about everyone. Someone who defends the truth and makes the voices of the underprivileged heard. If I’m not mistaken, that’s Supergirl’s job description.” There was a heavy pause as Kara took in the words her jaw growing slack.   
  
Alex cleared her throat lightly, feeling as if she was intruding on something highly personal. “Maggie and I have to go and get ready for the party tonight. See you then,” said the scientist in a lowered rush, shuffling out the door with the detective in hand.  
  
Lena continued unphased by the couple’s departure. “You’re always there for me. Always seeing the good. I still can’t fathom what you saw in me when you first stepped into the office of a _Luthor_ , insisting on my innocence and demanding to hear the other side of the argument even when the rest of the world had decided on my guilt. So yes. Supergirl may protect National City, but you, Kara Danvers, are my hero.”  
  
Kara was now beyond flustered, gaping like a fish, hastily pushing up her glasses every other second, trying desperately to compose herself.  
  
“Well that’s what friends are for,” Kara managed to say, trying to downplay the praise.  
  
“I’ve never had friends like you before,” smiled Lena warmly and Kara blushed a deeper shade of red. “Actually,” started the CEO, harking back to Kara’s errant comment that started it all. “I’ve never had _family_ like you before. And it pains me to know that my mot—that Lillian is using you, Alex, and Maggie to hurt me. I’m not used to having anyone stand up for me, let alone when I cause them grief.”  
  
“Hey,” reassured Kara, taking Lena’s hand and leading them to the couch in the CEO’s office. “I’m here—We’re here for you, always. There’s nothing Lillian could do to stop me, us, from being there.” Kara shifted away, respectfully staying on her side of the couch. “There’s a saying in… ah… Latin. It’s… my family motto. _El mayarah_. It means stronger together. And that’s what we are. We’ve got my reporting skills to ensure the truth remains heard, Alex’s veterinary proficiency to save Gertrude, Maggie’s detective expertise to shut down Lillian for good, and you! You and your top-notch lawyers and amazing brain. Together we’ve got this. There’s no way that Lillian is going to shut down the aquarium. Together, we’ll show her it was a mistake to ever try and mess with you, with us. So, I guess in a way, we’re all heroes.”  
  
“How astute of you,” said Lena with a playful raise of an eyebrow. Kara rose from the couch, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. The CEO followed suit. “Thank you,” whispered Lena as she gathered the reporter in a hug.  
  
“Anytime,” grinned Kara. “You’ll be at Maggie’s party, right?”  
  
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” replied Lena, breaking their embrace.  
  
The two exchanged hasty goodbyes, both leaving with identical smiles plastered on their faces.

* * *

 

“Lena knows about Kara, right?” asked Maggie when her and Alex made it to L-Corp’s parking garage, far enough away from the personal heart-to-heart ( _Maybe more?_ Considered the detective for a moment) the reporter and CEO were no doubt sharing.  
  
“About Supergirl or the massive crush?”  
  
Maggie tilted her head to the side with a small smile and intertwined her fingers in Alex’s. “Both.”  
  
“Yes, and yes,” grinned the scientist, reaching for her keys with her free hand.  
  
“Does Kara know she knows?”  
  
The biologist chuckled. “Nope and it’s hilarious to see the lengths Kara goes to cover it all up.”  
  
“Shouldn’t you tell her?”  
  
“And ruin the fun? Hell no. Besides, one of them will finally work up the courage to tell the other on their own time.”  
  
“I’m not so sure about that. Hesitance and stupid decisions around pretty women seem to run in the Danvers family.”  
  
“You know Kara is adopted.”  
  
Maggie shrugged. “You’re a scientist, Danvers. Chalk it up to Nature versus Nurture.”  
  
“And!” protested Alex pressing the button on her key fob. “I am _not_ hesitant nor do I make stupid decisions around you.”  
  
“Oh?” challenged Maggie arching an eyebrow. “If I never gave you my number that night at the aquarium would you have ever asked me out?”  
  
“Eventually,” huffed the scientist indignantly.  
  
The detective hummed, unconvinced. “Sure… and all those times you’ve dropped a clipboard or forgotten English just because I did this?” Maggie rose up on her toes and placed a kiss on Alex’s jaw, expertly leaving another at the scientist’s pulse point, Maggie’s teeth ever so gently scraping at the delicate skin.  
  
Alex stuttered and halted her gait, dropping the keys currently in her hands. “T—that doesn’t… prove…!” spluttered the doctor, desperately trying to collect her thoughts. Maggie smirked triumphantly, picking up the keys as a victory trophy.  
  
“I’m driving.”  
  
Alex let out a petulant ‘harrumph’ before finally ceding to the detective. “Fine.”  
  
Maggie stole another kiss before opening the driver side door. Alex couldn’t stay mad.

* * *

 

“It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating your reinstatement to the force, and now a promotion? Incredible,” said Lena, raising her glass in salute.  
  
Alex grinned and embraced Maggie in a side hug, her drink spilling over the edge in her enthusiasm. “She’s just that great, huh?”  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes at Alex’s antics, but burst into a small smile of pride none the less. “With this new influx of aliens moving to Earth, the NCPD is forming a new branch: The Science Division, to handle all cases alien. I may have dropped the fact I can have contact with Supergirl and have access to an invaluable consultant—a brilliant doctor accustomed with alien anatomy from her work with deep ocean creatures.”  
  
Alex pulled away, fake hurt and shock on her features. “Who’s this doctor you’re talking about? She better not be smarter or prettier than me.”  
  
“I think she’s both,” played along Maggie, with mock concern. “You’ll have to watch out, babe, I may be falling for her.”  
  
Alex laughed and Kara scrunched up her face. “You two are insufferable sometimes.”  
  
Both Maggie and Alex flicked their eyes from Lena to Kara, seated on the other side of the bar booth, and shared a wordless, _So are you two._  
  
The detective raised her glass. “And let’s not forget, we’re also celebrating Gertrude’s health. Everyone’s favourite dolphin is better.”  
  
“CBC, ultrasound, and all other tests came back normal,” declared Alex cheerfully. “I’ll keep her under observation for another few days, then she’ll be able to go back to her usual tank in the public eye she so loves.”  
  
A rousing “Here, here!” resounded from the group as four bar glasses clinked together.  
  
Their celebration was cut short by a steely voice slicing through their bubble of happiness. “That fish is the least of your worries.”  
  
Four faces turn toward the voice, joy draining from the area. “Mother,” muttered Lena in a hostile greeting.  
  
Maggie’s hand subconsciously drifted towards her waist where her firearm is usually kept, but another hand stopped her. The detective looked over to her side to see Alex gripping her glass tight enough to turn her fingertips white, but the scientist’s other hand held hers gently, creating a much-needed anchor point. Maggie straightened and glared daggers at the approaching figure of Lillian Luthor.  
  
“What are you doing here?” the detective all but hissed.  
  
Lillian’s voice was sickeningly sweet. Her posture relaxed, overly confident, and Maggie wanted nothing more than to punch that smug smile off Lillian’s face. “Is it a crime to visit my daughter?”  
  
Kara bristled, but allowed Maggie to snipe back a retort. “When there’s an ongoing case involving you and her, yeah it is.”  
  
Lillian tuts and briefly shakes her head. “You know this little case of ours could be over in a second, Lena. If you’d only accept my offer of—”  
  
“No,” interrupts the CEO, her voice even, despite the shaking rage burning just below the surface. “I’ve already told you, I won’t help your supposed righteous cause.”  
  
“I know we’ve never had a real mother-daughter relationship, so I’ll stop playing nice. Fine. Don’t work with me. Hand over Isotope 454, or this trivial court case will be a minuscule problem in the storm I can bring.”  
  
“What you’re doing is wrong and we’ll win any battle against you,” growls out Kara.  
  
“Do not test me, child,” snaps Lillian, her calm façade slipping for a split second. “I carry influence in high places you haven’t even heard of. Your precious job at CatCo? Dreams of ever holding another reporting job? Gone. You,” threatened Lillian, jabbing a finger at Alex. “Your beloved pond of deplorable sea creatures? Obliterated. You’ll be blacklisted from the medical community and drive past where that shack of an aquarium used to sit to see a shiny new supermarket all paved in black, black asphalt. The only aquatic creatures ever to again grace those grounds will be dead, on ice, as a two for one special.”  
  
“And you,” Lillian continued, aiming her finger at Maggie, “That gleaming new badge on your hip? I could snatch that away in an instant. No precinct would ever give you another chance after they hear about the story of the cowardly detective that allowed her Brothers in Blue to lose their lives while she just limped away with her life—”  
  
Anything Lillian was going to say next in her tirade was cut short as Alex lunged out of her seat and balled Lillian’s shirt collar in her fist, yanking the other woman close. “Now listen here, you hateful piece of s—”  
  
“Alex.” Lena’s voice was sharp, yet gentle, cutting through the fog of rage built up around the scientist’s emotions.  
  
Lena stood as Alex ever so slightly loosened her grip on Lillian’s shirt. The CEO crossed her arms and raked her eyes up and down her mother, taking in the person before her. The gesture was cold, calculating, and eerily akin to Lillian’s own sharp gazes, yet held less spite, more self-assured independence and confidence. Lena narrowed her eyes, easily piecing together the purpose of Lillian’s charade.  
  
“This is exactly what she wants,” stated the CEO, calmly dissecting the deception from the truth with a steady hand and a sharp scalpel. “She wants us to act on our anger and fear. She has nothing as long as I hold Isotope 454. No amount of threats or lies will ever change that. She’s resorted to smoke and mirrors to cloud our judgement and get the courts to act in her favour.”  
  
Alex released her grip on Lillian and shoved the other woman away in disgust.  
  
Lena stared down her still self-righteous and indignant, yet slightly deflated mother. “Now that you’re done with your performance, I’d suggest you leave me and my friends in peace.”  
  
Lillian briskly straightened her clothes. “Winning battles does not mean winning the war,” she spat back at the group before storming out of the bar.  
  
The four sat in silence, each processing the series of events individually. The unsettling incident souring any chances of restarting their previous celebration.  
  
“That was… unpleasant,” murmured Lena, taking a hesitant sip of her drink.  
  
“Understatement of the century,” quipped Maggie, trying and failing to lighten the mood.  
  
Alex cleared her throat and stood up, leaving her unfinished drink on the table. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go home and lose my cool,” she managed to say, voice unsteady as her mind continued to churn.  
  
Maggie and Kara both stood up with a simultaneous, “I should go make sure she’s okay.”  
  
The detective placed a hand on Kara’s shoulder and sternly, yet gently pushed the reporter back towards the booth. “I’ve got this, Little Danvers.” Maggie leaned in, her voice low enough for the CEO not to hear. “Stay. I think Lena could use a good friend right now.”  
  
Kara glanced from the door to Lena, and back again, uncertain. “Take care of Alex for me,” finally ceded the reporter. “Pass on a big hug.”  
  
Maggie smiled warmly. “Always.” The detective took two steps forwards before turning back towards Kara. “And hey, Little Danvers?” The reporter cocked her head to the side in question. “You do the same,” said Maggie, nodding her head to Lena, whose posture was uncharacteristically slouched as she nursed her drink.  
  
Kara nodded, glancing at Lena and offering a small, supportive smile. “Always.”

* * *

 

Alex flopped face-down on her couch with an inelegant groan. Her mind had been caught in a whirlwind of thoughts ever since Lillian decided to crash their party.  
  
It was no mystery that Alex was afraid of failure. It had been the driving force throughout her entire life. She dreaded disappointing her mother, or shirking her responsibilities to Kara. Hearing all the fears she had been desperately trying to quell this past month blatantly spelled out affected her more than she cared to admit.  
  
_What if Gertrude’s health relapsed and she couldn’t save her? What if Lillian’s minions_ actually _found solid evidence of malpractice? Had she slipped somewhere in the past? Not done her job well enough? Would she be the downfall of the aquarium she so loved?_  
  
A knock interrupted Alex from her spiraling thoughts. She ignored her visitor and buried her head deeper into the couch cushions. _Would she be the reason Maggie lost her job? Or Kara—_ The sound of keys and the dead bolt sliding unlocked stopped Alex’s thoughts yet again. The couch dipped as someone took a seat and the scientist begrudgingly rolled over to see Maggie looking down at her.  
  
“Hey, you,” whispered the detective placing a light hand on Alex’s leg. “You know you don’t have to bottle up your emotions. We agreed we’d share these burdens.”  
  
Alex sat up and easily melted into Maggie’s open arms. “Hello kettle, meet pot,” the scientist tried to joke, her voice rough and her smile not quite reaching her eyes.  
  
“We’re just a pair of misfits aren’t we?”  
  
Alex sighed and readjusted her position. Maggie easily adapted and placed her head on the scientist’s shoulder. “Lena was right. Lillian was just trying to mess with our heads. But I can’t help seeing a grain of truth in it all,” admitted Alex. “My fears about the aquarium, that I won’t be competent enough to save it… That my family and dearest friends will get hurt in the process. That all this will be my fault. Threatening Kara was enough to hurl me beyond the word angry, but when she said those horrible things about you the only thing I could think of was bringing immense physical harm to that terrible, terrible woman. And then what? If I had hurt her like I wanted to, ‘till I saw red like I wanted to. She would’ve won. I would have been the crazy, incompetent doctor she was painting me as. I would have failed.”  
  
Maggie took Alex’s hand in hers and drew smoothing circles with her thumb. “That didn’t happen. Lena stopped you.”  
  
“And if she hadn’t?”  
  
“Then I would have, or Kara. No matter how hard Lillian tries, we’ve got something her cold, callous heart would never understand: each other.” Maggie turned to face Alex, conveying her sincerity through her gaze. “And I’ll admit, her words hurt me too. The drive over here brought up anxieties I thought I had long wrestled with and won over. If you didn’t punch her, I would have.”  
  
The two sat in comfortable silence, the apartment was quiet enough to almost hear their heartbeats. Alex took a deep breath before breaking the lull. “Sometimes it scares me,” started the scientist. Her words were only a shade above a shaky whisper, as if anything louder would break her resolve to talk about something so personal, so open and raw. “It scares me how close you’ve become to me. I don’t want to lose you over all of this.”  
  
Maggie smiled softly, a lopsided gesture, filled with dimples and love. “You can’t shake me that easily, Danvers,” said the detective confidently, placing a kiss on the scientist’s lips to seal her point.  
  
“Ride or die?”  
  
Maggie nodded resolutely. Alex assented and nestled her head on Maggie’s shoulder, humming contentedly.  
  
“I don’t want to lose you either,” said Maggie. “When I tumbled into your life, I never thought I’d be a part of Kara’s and Lena’s as well. They accepted me so readily, even though I never asked to. Being with you, it’s nothing like I’ve ever felt before. As a kid, cast out in the cold, I never thought I’d find a place so warm. You’re the best thing to have happened to me, Alex.”  
  
“And you, me.”  
  
Maggie placed a tender kiss on Alex’s forehead. “Then you, me, Kara, and Lena. We’ve got this. Lillian doesn’t stand a chance, because we’re in this together.”

* * *

 

An incessant buzzing woke Maggie from her slumber. The detective extracted her hand from under the tangles of covers and groped for the offending object jackhammering the nightstand. An arm tightened around her waist and the pleasant feeling of Alex snuggled flush against her caused Maggie to pause.  
  
“Ignore it,” mumbled the lethargic scientist.  
  
Maggie reached for her phone regardless of Alex’s objection and squinted against the harsh, offending light. “It’s work.”  
  
Alex grumbled and placed a clumsy, sleepy kiss on Maggie’s neck, but allowed the detective room to answer the phone.  
  
“Sawyer.”  
  
The voice on the other end sounded out of breath and excited. “We’ve found something pertaining to the Luthor case. You’ll want to get over here ASAP.”  
  
“This better be something good, unlike the last few times,” grumbled Maggie, already extracting herself from the warm cocoon of blankets despite Alex’s weak protests.  
  
“Trust me, this is big. I think we’ve found our smoking gun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: The battle against Lillian the ~~b~~ witch, aka oh dear, this fic has an end???
> 
> Writing this fic makes me realize how much cannon Lena needs a hug… Give her a loving and supporting friend base already! I’m looking at you, CW.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!
> 
> (Hopefully the next chapter won’t be such a long wait! If it does, go yell at me in the comments to finish it.)
> 
> With fires in the north and floods in the south, I hope all of you and your loved ones are staying safe.


	9. We Can Be Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is my family. I found it all on my own. It’s little, and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good.”
> 
> Lillian gets served, Kara has an endless number of embarrassing stories about Alex (and vise versa), and it’s imperative _**not**_ to have kale at game night. Welcome to the conclusion.

“As you can see, your honor, this decrypted email leads straight back to Lillian Luthor’s IP address. Using this, the NCPD was able to identify Lillian Luthor as the provider of the large sums of money distributed to all her known accomplices in this trial.”  
  
All eyes were trained on the NCPD tech that managed to break the encryption on a low-level, seemingly benign email and follow the cyber breadcrumbs back to this ground-breaking conclusion.  
  
“And do you, in your professional opinion, believe Lillian Luthor the only one capable of sending these monetary bribes?” Alex watched nervously from her defendant’s seat as her lawyer, generously provided by Lena, continued his direct examination.  
  
“Yes. The decrypted email could only have been sent by Lillian Luthor’s personal computer which, as I previously stated, has a two-factor authentication measure requiring both a password and a fingerprint scan.”  
  
Alex continued to listen as other witnesses were called up to the stand to be examined and cross examined, with her lawyer occasionally reassuring her of their victory during lulls. The scientist frequently glanced back at Maggie, who offered a reassuring smile or nod, which never failed to steady her anxieties. Kara and Lena were both seated next to the detective and snuck their own wordless communication back and forth with each other and Alex. The reporter even going so far as to discreetly make a face and stick out her tongue when Lillian was called to the stand. (Alex had a hard time biting back a smile at that.)  
  
As the trial continued to progress, Alex could sense the panic in Lillian’s lawyers as they frequently called out objections from hearsay to inflammatory, all being overruled. With every falter of Lillian’s smug smirk, the scientist sat up a bit straighter and breathed a bit easier. By the time the trial finally ended with Lillian being found guilty of blackmailing and animal cruelty and Alex being found innocent on all malpractice and negligence charges, the biologist was itching to jump out of her chair with unbridled joy.

* * *

 

“I’m so glad that nightmare is finally over,” said Alex, taking a deep, relieved breath as she walked down the courtroom steps.  
  
“I hope I never have to sit in that stuffy room again,” groaned Kara.  
  
“I’ve got a scheduled court appearance coming up,” teased Maggie. “I’m sure CatCo would appreciate one of their reporters on the front line of alien crime. It’s incredibly hard-hitting stuff, Little Danvers.”  
  
“I’ll just interview you about it then,” retorted Kara.  
  
Maggie shrugged. “And lose the chance to report from the primary source? Where’s your journalistic integrity?”  
  
“It went out the window after I counted the four hundred thirty-seven dots on the ceiling of that courtroom—twice.”  
  
“Enough talk about that place. It’s well behind us now,” intervened Lena. “It’s time for us to celebrate. I’d say drinks, but…” the CEO gestured to the still shinning sun.  
  
Kara’s face lit up. “Frozen Yoghurt?!” The reporter flashed her signature puppy dog look.  
  
“Any objections?” joked Maggie.

* * *

 

“…That reminds me of this one time at a _My Chemical Romance_ concert,” starts Kara, digging into her second helping of frozen yoghurt.  
  
“Please, no,” groaned Alex, trying to hide her face behind her own frozen treat.  
  
“Keep going, Little Danvers,” urged Maggie, putting down her spoon to more intently listen to the reporter. “Alex hasn’t told me much about her punk phase.”  
  
“Oh, this wasn’t punk at all. It was the complete opposite,” laughed Kara, already at the amusing part of the story in her mind. “So, there we were, only a few rows away from the stage, the band is in between songs and a pretty girl pushes her way between Alex and me. Then Alex, being Alex, whirls around to tell this girl off or punch her, I’m not sure. But, oh no! She’s hot. She’s really, really pretty,” teases Kara in a sing-song voice.  
  
Alex blushed a deep red and wanted nothing more than to have the floor open up underneath her. Maggie is completely enraptured in the story, wearing the biggest smile. (Alex figures if the ground won’t swallow her whole, at least Maggie’s dimples are in their fully glory.)  
  
“And so, Alex does this little fish gape, half smile,” continued Kara, getting into full character and exaggerating the re-enactment, “But the girl must have thought it was cute, because I hear a ‘Wanna dance?’ just as the opening guitar rift of the next song starts. Well, my poor sister must’ve blown a fuse by now because not one minute later, the pretty girl is nursing a bloody nose due to an accidental elbow in the face by, yup you guessed, Alex.”  
  
Maggie let out a bark of laughter and turned to Alex, who was somehow beyond blushing. “Oh babe, you were an adorable baby gay.”  
  
“But wait, there’s more!” chimed in Kara. “Alex is apologizing profusely as lights, music, and a bunch of people jostle them around. So, then she _takes off_ her black flannel and just shoves it in this girl’s face, after failing to find tissues. The music was too loud for Alex, but I remember hearing this disappointed and confused ‘Thanks’ before the girl shuffled away through the crowd to the tune of ‘Headfirst for Halos.’”  
  
“I’m very glad you didn’t punch me in the nose the first time you met me,” teases Maggie.  
  
“You just had to tell her, didn’t you?” grumbled Alex, shooting a petulant frown at her younger sister.  
  
The detective continued, relentless in her flirtatious teasing. “But I wouldn’t have minded you taking off your shirt.” Alex coughed awkwardly, as her bite of frozen yoghurt managed to go down the wrong pipe.  
  
The doctor collected herself before shooting back her own retort. “Don’t be so smug about this, Sawyer. If I recall correctly, one night you very drunkenly were mad at somebody attempting to walk into you. You moved left, they moved left. You moved right, they moved right. Then…”  
  
“Okay! I take it back,” protested Maggie.  
  
“No, you capitalized on my embarrassment. It’s only fair,” countered Alex, now wearing a devilish grin. “So _then_ ,” stressed the scientist, diving back into the story. “Just before you were about to collide, you realised you just walked into a mirror.” The scientist smiled triumphantly as Kara and Lena both snickered at the re-telling.  
  
Maggie scowled and kicked Alex’s shin with her prosthetic leg, effectively replacing the biologist’s shit-eating grin with a mouthed ‘Ouch.’  
  
“To be fair, Alex, you don’t have much grounds to tell drunk stories,” started Lena. “One night, when Maggie was getting us another round you asked if she was single. When I said no, you almost cried.”  
  
Alex tried to defend herself with a flattering comment towards Maggie and a lame ‘That’s perfectly reasonable.’  
  
Lena simply raised a skeptical eyebrow and cocked her head to the side ever so slightly. “You had been dating for a sold two months by then.”  
  
The scientist dove into her dessert to try and hide herself. “Okay, fine. I’m sorry I started this. Is it Pick on Alex Danvers Day?”  
  
Lena smiled. “Why yes, I heard it straight from the president.”  
  
Alex rolled her eyes. “Don’t push it, Luthor. A certain reporter told me that you had one too many and proceeded to forget about designing an _entire airplane_ then drunkenly sent a whole _office full_ of roses to my little sister.”  
  
“Hey! I thought it was sweet,” defended Kara.  
  
“Well would the airplane designs work?” asked Maggie more practically.  
  
Lena tilted her head to the side in thought. “The writing I could make sense of was solid math, your basic fluids problems, but I think halfway through I started designing some sort of portal… I had a bunch of half-formed thoughts in only barely legible writing about quantum entanglement and polyatomic anions…”  
  
“That’s actually impressive,” marveled Maggie. “Maybe we should get you drunk more.”  
  
Kara started to chuckle in agreement when the TV, despite being on a low volume, caught her attention. _Breaking news: a fire has broken out in two buildings on the west side of the city. Firefighters are on route but…_  
  
Alex recognized her sister’s change in demeanour instantly and shared a knowing glance with the secret superhero, before turning her eyes on Maggie, who shared the same look.  
  
“I—” started Kara, nervously adjusting her glasses as she struggled to find an excuse. “There’s something I forgot to do. I’ve got to go.”  
  
Lena smiled gently, an impressively manufactured convinced look on her face. “Of course, by all means.”  
  
Kara stood, relieved. “Thank you, and sorry. I’ll see you all around, okay?” The group all offered their short farewells as Kara dashed out of the shop.  
  
Lena looked wistfully at Kara’s retreating figure, an almost inaudible phrase slipping from her mouth. “Go get ‘em Supergirl.”  
  
Alex exchanged another look with Maggie. The two nodded resolutely before pretending not to have heard the comment.

* * *

 

“Wait,” said Alex, readjusting her hold on the tarpaulin. “Alright, on three: One, two, three.” With the help of Vasquez, Alex carefully unrolled the waterproof cloth from under Gertrude. The dolphin clicked happily as she returned to an upright position in her tank, finally deemed healthy enough to be moved from the medical wing.  
  
“She looks thrilled to be back in her old tank,” commented Vasquez, watching as Gertrude’s sleek body zipped around the expanse of water.  
  
“I’m just glad she can finally be back. She gave me quite a few scares,” said Alex, putting her hands in the pockets of her lab coat and rocking back onto her heels.  
  
Vasquez nodded in agreement. “Williams needs my help with one of the scanners. Not sure if it’s broken or he’s just incompetent, but I should go before he breaks it even more.”  
  
Alex laughed. “He probably just forgot to turn it on. You go, I’m going to stay with Gertrude for a while.”  
  
Just as the veterinary tech rounded the corner out of view, Kara landed softly beside her sister. “How is she?” asked the reporter, smoothing out her wind-whipped civilian clothes.  
  
“Great,” smiled Alex as Gertrude swam by with a series of clicks and a wave. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to have Lillian off our backs and Gertrude healthy.”  
  
“And things with Maggie?” pressed Kara.  
  
“Perfect,” said Alex, a love-struck expression forming at the mere thought of the detective in question.  
  
“I’m happy for you. Finding Maggie, that is,” said Kara. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so smitten with someone. And to be honest, she’s the same. It’s actually quite nauseating sometimes,” needled the reporter lightly. Alex punched Kara on the shoulder and the younger Danvers sister allowed herself to be moved by the action. “Hey, it’s true. I think I can hear wedding bells in the future. I should know, with my super hearing and all.”  
  
“Ha. Ha,” said Alex humourlessly, yet not missing the way her heart soared at the thought of being married to Maggie. “Well you’re not at a loss for romance either,” retorted the biologist. “There’s definitely some chemistry between you and Lena. I should know, with being a scientist and all.”  
  
Kara pouted and made to snipe back her own witty response when a cold, and unfortunately familiar, voice cut in. “Enjoy this while you can.”  
  
Alex whirled around and narrowed her eyes in discontent. “What are you doing here Lillian? You lost. Leave us alone.”  
  
Lillian crossed her arms, her nose in the air, and that perpetually smug smile still on her lips. “Looking at what will be mine in the future. You honestly didn’t think a trivial fine and a small speck on my record will stop me. In a month, tops, I’ll have all of this unpleasant trial scrubbed clean and nothing will prevent me from trying again, with much more force.”  
  
Kara’s glare was only a shade away from full blown heat vision. “That’s where you’re wrong, Lillian,” growled the reporter. “ _We’ll_ be here to stop you. Time and time again.”  
  
Alex crossed her arms, mocking Lillian’s own stance, and held her ground. “You’ve lost your power here. Your threats are empty. We’ve beat you once, and we’ll do it again.”  
  
Kara nodded resolutely, subconsciously shifting into her signature Supergirl stance. “You can’t control us anymore. Not Alex, Maggie, or me, and definitely not Lena. She has a family now. One that won’t lie and manipulate. You’re lucky you only got the sentence you did. The real crime here was how poorly you treated such an amazing, good-hearted person, your own daughter.”  
  
The scientist grabbed the whistle hanging around her neck. “Well, not anymore.” Alex sounded a long, shrill whistle and a simple dolphin click was all the warning Lillian got before a massive splash soaked the Luthor from head to toe. Lillian spluttered, outraged, all traces of her smug demeanour washed away.  
  
“You’ll regret this,” snapped Lillian lamely, the threat coming from the equivalent of a drowned cat. With a huff, Lillian spun on her heals and stormed off.  
  
“I don’t think we’ll be hearing from her anytime soon,” smiled the reporter. Alex raised her hand, and Kara completed the high five, before turning it into a hug.  
  
“Here’s the to Danvers Sisters,” mumbled Alex into the crook of Kara’s neck.  
  
“We should come with a warning.”

* * *

 

“I don’t know, he puts so much stress on that right flipper. It’s like he doesn’t trust the prosthetic. Is it an integrity issue, or psychological?” asked Alex, a thoughtful finger resting on her chin. Both Lena and Alex were standing outside of the sea lion pen watching Simba (named at Kara’s insistence because he’s a sea _lion_ , get it Alex?) adapt to his new prosthetic flipper.  
  
“In the lab, the limb held up to stress tests perfectly. Animals are more readily willing to act on instinct for mobility, I’m not convinced it’s fully psychological. Perhaps there’s pain at the connection that makes him cautious about using his prosthetic.”  
  
Alex opened her mouth to counter with her own hypothesis when a voice interrupted them from behind. “Hey, you.”  
  
“Maggie! I thought you were out on a case.”  
  
“I am, but I forgot this in your office.” The detective gestured to the oversized NCPD windbreaker in her hands. “The spares they had at the precinct were all too big.”  
  
“And that one isn’t?” needled Alex playfully.  
  
“Well until more of the taxes of the good citizens of National City get diverted to the police force, this is the smallest jacket they have. And I don’t think that’ll be happening anytime soon.”  
  
“Then it’s a good thing that you still look beautiful in an oversized trash bag,” smiled the scientist.  
  
“Hey Lena, Alex! I brought snacks and— Oh hi, Maggie!” interrupted Kara, almost skidding to a halt, bags of chips, folders stuffed with papers, and a closed laptop balancing precariously in her hands.  
  
“Little Danvers,” greeted the detective with a nod.  
  
“Cat has me swamped with this new article addressing the Alien Amnesty Act, but I had a few minutes in my lunch break and had to see how Simba was doing,” said Kara, skillfully readjusting the pile of stuff in her arms.  
  
“Physically, he’s doing good,” reported Alex. “His check up showed no cause for concern, but he’s hesitant to use his new prosthetic. We’re trying to figure out why.”  
  
“Well I’m sure the two smartest people I know will have it figured out in no time,” smiled Kara cheekily. The reporter’s phone beeped and she grabbed at it, almost losing a couple folders in the process. Kara looked at the screen and frowned. “Shoot, Cat needs me. See you all at game night?”  
  
“Wouldn’t dare miss it,” grinned Maggie.  
  
Kara somehow managed to balance her stack of things to type out a quick text before looking up at the detective. “Don’t forget Maggie, you’re in charge of desserts. And for the love of all things scrumptious don’t bring _only_ vegan ice cream this time,” reprimanded the younger Danvers sister. Kara turned towards the CEO. “And Lena, you’re in charge of sides this time. Remember, that means mac and cheese or something _good_. No kale salads!”  
  
“Only if you don’t scatter the Monopoly board and all the pieces when you go bankrupt,” amended Maggie.  
  
“That was one time!” groaned Kara.  
  
“You _know_ Boardwalk isn’t that lucrative. The returns aren’t as high as you always think for such an expensive property,” reprimanded the CEO.  
  
“Why do we even let the millionaire play Monopoly? I vote trivial pursuit tonight,” chimed in Alex.  
  
Maggie shook her head. “And give you the unfair advantage? No way!”  
  
Kara cocked her head to the side in thought. “We haven’t played Taboo in a while.”  
  
“Your job is to use words. How is that not an unfair advantage?” protested Alex.  
  
Lena extended her hands, palms down. “Calm down everyone,” mediated the CEO. “We’ll just write down all the games we have and shuffle them in a hat. Whatever we draw will be tonight’s game.”  
  
“Fine,” sighed Alex. “Just as long as Kara actually shares the popcorn and doesn’t eat it all.”  
  
Kara stuck out her tongue playfully. “No promises.”  
  
“You two are such children,” scolded Maggie, her eye roll containing uninhibited mirth.  
  
“But you love us,” grinned Kara with a mix of pure joy, cheeky wit, and puppy dog eyes.  
  
“Yeah, I do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: A fluff-filled epilogue. (Schedule a dentist appointment in advance to combat cavities.)
> 
> Also, fun fact: Kara promptly named little Simba the sea lion after seeing [this tumblr post](http://crockpotcauldron.tumblr.com/post/161290997672/alx-972-nadhie-nadhie-my-dad-just-exploded)
> 
> Comments and kudos fuel me. Seriously, all you lovely readers’ support always blows me away and motivates me to bring more, and better content each time I write. I cannot thank you all enough!


	10. Epilogue: The First Chapter

Maggie Sawyer had seen her fair share of weird occurrences. Being the lead detective of the NCPD Science Division, she had seen mind-controlling sentient goo, fought off something akin to a six-foot tall fire-breathing rubber duck, and had to repeatedly issue stern warnings to a certain alien who just really, really, _really_ liked kittens. But somehow, Alex Danvers always managed to trump it all.  
  
Alex was hunched over the kitchen table, a mess of electrical components in front of her and a headlamp strapped to her forehead, which provided the only light in the dark and freezing room.  
  
Lillian Luthor and the malpractice trial were long behind them now. Alex had returned to work at the aquarium with renewed vigour and Maggie quickly proved her worth as a Science Division detective. Summer had turned to fall, and fall to winter. The occasional stiff soreness in Maggie’s leg as snow started to arrive seemed to be the only troubles that emerged.  
  
At Maggie’s entrance into their shared apartment, the scientist whipped her head up. “Oh hey, Maggie!” The detective raised a hand at the offending beam of light projecting from the doctor’s forehead. Alex sheepishly apologized and adjusted the beam so it pointed straight upwards. “I didn’t think you’d be back so early.”  
  
Maggie slipped off her boots and unclipped her badge, leaving it by the key bowl. “I got done with my paperwork ahead of schedule.”  
  
“That’s great,” smiled Alex, who was desperately trying to act as if everything was normal.  
  
The detective shoved her hands into her jacket pocket to fend off the cold and looked around at the darkened interior, assessing the situation. “So…”  
  
That one word was all it took before Alex blushed and offered a rushed explanation. “I was trying to make us dinner, but I must’ve tripped a breaker, so I flipped all the switches in the fuse box, and everything was fine, until I noticed the heat was off, so I called the super, but he’s out of town and then I found jiggling the thermostat fixed it, but only for a second, so I took it off and now…” The scientist motioned towards the project.  
  
Maggie shook her head, a smile playing at her lips. “You’re ridiculous.”  
  
“I’ve performed countless surgeries. I thought that fixing a loose wire couldn’t be harder than stenting an artery.”  
  
The detective chuckled and gave her disappointed girlfriend a warm kiss before coaxing her out of her chair. “You may be able to tell the difference between a kidney and a spleen, but circuits boards and wires are different than living creatures. Come on, the hardware store should still be open. Let’s go buy a new thermostat.”  
  
Alex grumbled, relenting that if she only had a few more minutes it would’ve been fixed. But one kiss and a signature dimpled smile later, Maggie and Alex were out the door on their way to the store.  
  
“Hey, Danvers?” The scientist hummed and shuffled closer to Maggie. “ _What_ are you wearing?”  
  
Alex glanced down at her attire and immediately blushed. The heavy wool sweater depicted a cartoon reindeer with a long ago burnt out red LED bulb affixed to the nose, sparkling white snowflakes were sewn everywhere into the fabric, and the words ‘Merry Christmas’ were stitched onto one sleeve in flowing green and red cursive. “Kara gave me this sweater,” protested Alex. “And it’s warm and comfy!”  
  
The detective laughed, and Alex couldn’t help but don a dopey smile. Even after all this time, Maggie’s laugh still caused her heart to flutter.

* * *

 

Christmas came and went and Maggie had received an equally ridiculous sweater from Kara. It was a size too big, (“This was the smallest I could find,” apologized the younger Danvers sister) causing the friendly snowman depicted to look more like a stack of marshmallows and her sleeves to drag into eggnog one too many times. Although Maggie would never admit it out loud, she loved it—not to mention it _was_ comfy and warm.  
  
Lena laughed at the small detective downing in a pile of red, green, and white wool, but immediately sobered when Kara presented her with her own over-the-top sweater.  
  
(The CEO wore her present the next day and #ChristmasSweaterChic was trending on Twitter five minutes after she stepped out her door.)  
  
Maggie reveled in her first Christmas with Alex. They had joined Kara and Lena in an impressive feast, drank hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and whipped cream, and watched the Polar Express (as per Danvers Sister tradition). The kiss Alex graced her with under the mistletoe was warmer than the cheery yule log and the over-decorated, lighted monstrosity of Kara’s Christmas tree was no match to the million-watt smile Alex gave when Maggie presented her with VIP tickets to the Barenaked Ladies concert.  
  
The rest of the night passed in a comfortable and happy blur, filled with laughter and warmth. It was the first Christmas she didn’t dread spending alone, the first Christmas with her new family—and she loved every second.

* * *

 

It was a Sunday in May, just around nine at night, when the feeling hit Alex like a horse-sized duck (or 100 duck-sized horses, as Kara would rather say). It was supposed to be a lazy day for both Maggie and Alex, but the scientist had gotten a call from work about their newest otter pup, Chowder. One thing led to another, and Maggie found herself toweling off the otter pup while an NCIS rerun played in the background.  
  
Alex had just stepped out of the bedroom, having just changed out of her soaked clothes after Chowder decided to get rowdy in the bathtub. “Don’t forget to wrap him in the blanket once you’re done, he’s got the equivalent of a cold and needs to stay wa—” the rest of her sentence was forgotten as she rounded the corner and stumbled onto the scene before her.  
  
Maggie was sitting on the couch with the now sleepy Chowder, wrapped in a fluffy blanket, resting in her arms.  The detective looked up from the fuzzy bundle and smiled, the low light from the TV accentuating a pair of adorable dimples.  
  
_System AlexDanvers has run into a problem and could not locate Thoughts.exe  
  
Run Diagnostic? Y/N  
  
Yes._  
  
Alex blinked rapidly, trying to collect her thoughts. She looked around the room in an attempt to ground herself, but the action seemed to cause her train of thought to become even more derailed.  
  
In the kitchen, a pan was soaking in the sink, the remnants of that night’s lasagna, Alex’s comfort food, which Maggie had prepared knowing the aquarium inspections loomed in the future yet again. In the bedroom, the newest book from Maggie’s favourite author, which Alex had waited in line for two hours to obtain, sat almost-finished, bookmarked with the tickets from their latest movie night out. In the living room, there was a hastily patched hole next to the window from when Kara had been too enthusiastic with the Wii remote, which both Alex and Maggie kept saying _they’d_ be the one to fix it (later, of course).  
  
The scientist looked back at Maggie, who now wore a quizzical look, but words still refused to form as she stared at the bundle in the detective’s arms.  
  
_Detecting problems… Please standby._  
  
“You okay, Danvers?”  
  
“Yeah, I’m fine,” smiled Alex, shaking herself from her revere for a moment to join Maggie on the couch. “How’s Chowder?”  
  
“Almost asleep. The bath must have tired him out.” The scientist gathered Maggie in a hug and the detective automatically leaned her head on Alex’s shoulder.  
  
_File ‘DomesticBliss’ is too large._  
  
Alex smiled and placed a tender kiss on the top of Maggie’s head. “I love you. So much. You know that, right?”  
  
“Of course, silly. What made you ask?”  
  
_Recommended action: Increase storage; Run executable ‘Marry that girl.’_  
  
The scientist shrugged, a loving smile on her face. “Nothing.” A comfortable silence passed over the two as they watched Chowder fall asleep.  
  
Maggie broke the silence, her voice low. “Hey, Alex?” The scientist hummed in response. “I love you too.”

* * *

 

“Kara,” hissed Alex into her phone. The scientist glanced nervously to her office door, worried someone might barge in at any moment and learn her secret. “I need your help.”  
  
“Are you in trouble? Is one of the animals? Is—” asked Kara’s rapid-fire, worried voice.  
  
“No, no. I need your help doing something for Maggie.”  
  
“I’m not going to break the law again, Alex.”  
  
“It’s not… It’s nothing like that, I promise.”  
  
Alex could hear Kara’s interesting piquing. “Then what?”  
  
“I…” the scientist swallowed hard, a bout of nerves washing over her. “I want to propose to Maggie.” The squeal of joy from Kara was loud enough to make Alex wince and move the phone away from her ear. “You done?”  
  
“Yeah… No, wait… Okay, yes… I just can’t…” Kara trailed off in happily overwhelmed sighs.  
  
“You have to keep this a secret.”  
  
Kara’s indignant pout was almost audible. “I’m great at keeping secrets.”

* * *

 

Weeks passed and Kara, surprisingly, held her tongue about Alex’s intentions. Although, the scientist did have to cover up a few close calls. (Alex was running out of words that coincidentally also started with prop- or marr-.)  
  
Despite the numerous ideas Kara had given, (“Look at this Pinterest page! Isn’t this board so cute?”)  
  
(Or “What about: Knock, knock. Then she goes: Who’s there? And you go: Marry. So she says: Marry who? Then you bend down and open the ring box and say me.”)  
  
Alex was still mulling over the perfect way to propose, when she received an invite to a scientific convention that sparked an idea.  
  
So, over dinner that night, Alex built her way up to that big, important question by asking a small, insignificant one. “Are you busy this next week? There’s a convention in Metropolis and I thought we could take a vacation. Scientists from all over the nation are attending and there are some amazing speakers lined up. I thought we could see a couple, then hit the city. Relax, have fun. I heard they have a state-of-the-art observatory. I know how much you love looking at the stars.”  
  
Maggie looked down at her plate in guilt. “That sounds great, really. But I’m swamped at work. There’s a string of robberies that just went deadly. It’s all hands on deck to find the perpetrator. And I’ve got another case that is going to court and I have to be around to testify against the jerk.”  
  
Alex nodded, disappointed, yet understanding. “We can always go another time. But I think I’m going to take just a couple of days to see a few of the talks. There’s supposed to be a demonstration of a reversible transfer of glucosyl-moieties from glucosylated ce—” Maggie’s chuckle caused Alex to halt her excited ramble. “What?”  
  
“Nerd.”  
  
“You love it.”  
  
“Yeah, I do.” Maggie took a bite of her dinner before continuing. “You better have enough fun for the both of us, then. I’ll want to hear all about your gluco-what-cha-ma-sils when you get home.”  
  
Alex beamed. “You’re the best girlfriend I could ever ask for.”

* * *

 

“I double checked everything is in place,” said Kara, giving Alex a big hug. “Operation ‘Put a Ring On It’ is a go.”  
  
Alex rolled her eyes at her sister’s antics, but smiled none the less. “You’re like a secret agent. A ridiculous secret agent.”  
  
Kara laughed. “Well so are you! All of this cloak and dagger makes me think you should be wearing all black and a thigh holster.”  
  
Alex cocked her head to the side, humming in thought. “Agent Danvers,” she smiled, “Huh, that doesn’t sound half bad.”

* * *

 

“Hey Lena,” greeted Alex as she tucked her phone against her ear and shoulder and removed her examination gloves. The biologist motioned at Vasquez to continue her work with the fidgeting penguin, Jellybean Jr., in front of her.  
  
“Hello Alex, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”  
  
“No, no. Just finishing up some check ups before I… uh, leave for Metropolis.”  
  
Alex could picture Lena’s eyebrow raised skeptically, a small, knowing smile gracing the CEO’s lips. “Kara told me about your plans.”  
  
The scientist’s eyes widened in panic. “You didn’t—you’re not—”  
  
“Relax, Alex. I won’t tell Maggie anything. I’m just calling to congratulate you, as I will _actually_ be in Metropolis attending the convention.”  
  
“Oh, yes! I saw your name on the speaker’s list. I’m sure the world will be impressed by your newest prosthetic design. It’s improved Maggie’s life so much, I can’t even begin to imagine how helpful it will be to others.”  
  
“Yes, well, I hope others can take my technology and apply it to their own fields. The cross-disciplinary uses for some of the waterproofing and power-delivery systems are limitless,” marveled Lena.  
  
“Always thinking ahead,” smiled Alex. “Good luck with your presentation and thanks for your support with Maggie.”  
  
“There’s no doubt as to what her answer will be, Alex. She’s a lucky woman to have you.”  
  
“And I her,” agreed the doctor.  
  
Another muffled voice chimed in with something, too far away from the receiver for Alex to make out. “Kara says good luck,” relayed the CEO.  
  
“Of course she’s in Metropolis with you,” chuckled Alex under her breath.  
  
“Your sister insisted she report on my seminar for CatCo.”  
  
Alex grinned. “Sure,” she said, unconvinced.  
  
There was a pause as Lena distanced herself from Kara and whispered into the receiver. “Keeping with the themes of declaring relationship milestones, your future plans may instigate my own words.”  
  
_Finally!_ The scientist beamed. “Go get ‘er, Lena Luthor.”  
  
“You’re… okay with me and your sister?”  
  
“Maggie and I have a betting pool going on when one of you would say something. She’s going to owe me twenty bucks.”  
  
“I’m glad I can be of assistance,” laughed Lena before her tone sobered, placing a meaningful weight on her next words. “Thank you, Alex.”

* * *

 

Maggie Sawyer knew there was something strange going on the second she came home. She had been suspecting something ever since the police chief all but ordered her to go home early today, despite the alarming amount of case work Maggie still needed to complete.  
  
Alex Danvers was supposedly in Metropolis attending the scientific convention, but what greeted Maggie upon opening the door to their apartment suggested otherwise. Tiramisu and a bottle of whiskey sat on the counter illuminated by dimmed kitchen lights. Maggie set down her keys and picked up the card resting next to the display.  
  
It wasn’t uncommon for Alex to leave little sticky notes around the house. Maggie knew it was one the scientist’s many ways of showing affection. The detective had woken up to notes on the bathroom mirror reading, ‘You’re _mirror-_ aculous’ or come home to a bag of groceries with a note taped onto the produce saying, ‘I love you from my head _tomatoes._ ’  
  
This was different.  
  
_Hey pretty lady_ , read the card, _put down your gun, pour a shot, and have some fun._  
  
Maggie tilted her head in confusion, setting down the card and picking up the whiskey bottle. Perhaps Alex had gotten Kara to set something up for her while the scientist enjoyed herself in Metropolis. Another note, loosely stuck to the bottom of the bottle, fluttered down onto the table. Maggie gingerly picked it up and unfolded it.  
  
**_What I was wearing when I first met you._**  
  
The detective chewed her lip, trying to figure out exactly what Alex was up to. After double checking she didn’t forget her own birthday or a holiday, Maggie decided to play along until the answer was clear.  
  
“A lab coat,” replied the detective to herself. Alex kept an abundance of name-embroidered lab coats in multiple places. At work, in her car. Maggie is sure Kara has at least three in her apartment. The detective decides to look in their closet first.  
  
After turning out the pockets of two of Alex’s white coats and finding only a wrapped Snickers bar, a forgotten Twizzler, a couple of Jolly Ranchers, and an assortment of pens, Maggie finds another similar note in the third.  
  
**_The first time you played doctor for me._**  
  
There had been plenty of moments when Maggie found herself tending to Alex’s wounds. (And vise versa, although the detective less readily admits to these.) There were moments when the scientist had been clumsy. When Alex had burned herself on a pot of coffee, or when she strained her back and was left on bed rest for an entire day because, “Honestly, Sawyer, it’s not that heavy I totally got this.”  
  
For the record, Alex totally did not ‘get this,’ as the piece of furniture she was lifting was dropped and ended up in bits at the bottom of the stairs. (It’s fine. Maggie likes the new coffee table much better anyways.)  
  
The answer dawns on the detective: the baseball game. The day Alex got hit by an errant home run ball and Maggie hit a guy with her prosthetic leg. A smile crept on her face as she recalled the memory. But where was the next clue? They had both been banned from the stadium that day, then even further banned when the two had snuck in to paint the stadium seats as a large rainbow for pride month. Surely Alex wouldn’t have hidden it there.  
  
Maggie’s eyes scanned their apartment. Her eyes rested on the baseball, still saved as a memento, resting on a bookshelf. Alex had kept the ball after Maggie gifted it to her and had even bought a small glass case for it. Sometime between “Let’s move in together” and “We bought an apartment together” the ball had migrated from Alex’s office desk to the bookshelf next to Beatrix the Bonsai.  
  
_“Really, Danvers? That’s the best name you can think of?”  
  
“Hey! Beatrix Potter not only gifted the world Peter Rabbit, but was also a natural scientist. It’s perfect! Well, she mainly studied fungi, not trees, but I was going for some form of alliteration.”  
  
Maggie shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. “Beatrix the Bonsai it is.”  
  
Alex beamed. “Welcome to your new home, Beatrix. I’m sure you’ll like it here.”_  
  
The detective picked up the glass cube containing the baseball and, sure enough, a small note was taped underneath. She unfolded the piece of paper and read the next clue.  
  
**_Our first kiss_** **.**  
  
The two had shared plenty of kisses together. Some tender and soft, others hot and passionate, and others still that filled a void that words couldn’t in that moment. Their first kiss, however, was forever etched into Maggie’s mind. The detective smiled softly as she recalled that night outside of that restaurant.  
  
Picking up her keys, Maggie headed out the door, determined to find where the trail of clues led.

* * *

 

Feeling oddly out of place, dressed in jeans and a leather jacket while people clad in evening gowns and suits started filling the early evening reservations, Maggie poked around outside of the restaurant in search of another note.  
  
“Can I help you, ma’am?”  
  
Maggie stopped wiggling the stonework in search of a loose brick and turned to face the host. “This may sound odd, but did someone leave a note here?”  
  
“Oh, are you Maggie Sawyer?” asked the host, adjusting his bow tie. The detective nodded.  
  
“Yes, a woman came by and instructed me to give you this,” he said placing a folded white notecard in Maggie’s palm.  
  
The detective thanked the host and started walking back to her car as she unfolded the note.  
  
**_Our first fight._**  
  
Maggie leaned against her car as her mind flashed to that unpleasant memory. Their first big fight occurred months into their relationship, around the time the effort to counter Lillian’s malpractice lawsuit kept hitting dead ends. Alex had needed a new desk for her office after that one sticky drawer finally, irreversibly broke and the two had found themselves in IKEA. Something about the unending twists and turns of staged furniture caused Alex to snap. Suddenly, the search for a desk became a metaphor for their relationship and next thing they knew, the two were raising their voices at each other next to a toilet plunger display.  
  
They had stormed off in opposite directions, but after what felt like forever, Maggie received a call.  
  
_“I’m sorry,” came Alex’s timid voice over the phone. “I didn’t mean all those things I said. I just… With this trial and the aquarium in the crosshairs, I’m barely keeping it together. I… You’re amazing and you don’t deserve all that crap about sliding drawers and extra writing space.”  
  
“It sounds ridiculous when you say it that way.”  
  
“Because it was ridiculous.”  
  
“I’m sorry too. We agreed to talk things out and Lillian’s relentless attacks added to the pressures of my new job, trying to prove to myself I belong back on the force… It’s eating at me as well. I shouldn’t have snapped at you either.”  
  
“Then we’re good?”  
  
“Yeah, we’re good.”  
  
Alex and Maggie shared a relieved sigh.  
  
“And hey, Sawyer?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“I think I’m lost. I’ve passed this bin of cheese graters three times now.”_  
  
When Maggie arrived at IKEA, she was worried that the note was hidden inside the mammoth, currently closed building, but upon walking to the entrance, the detective found another note taped to the door.  
  
**_The first “I love you.”_**  
  
Just reading those three words in Alex’s handwriting made Maggie’s heart jump. The detective recalled the night in her old apartment, snuggled against Alex, when the biologist broke the calm contentedness to take the plunge and declare her feelings. Maggie had to admit, she was shocked to hear those words, but nothing felt more right than to say them back.  
  
The detective came to a stop in front of her old apartment building and took a deep breath before opening her car door. She could feel the trail of clues coming to an end and with it, her nerves escalated, as each note seemed to further support her suspicions.  
  
Out of years of habit, Maggie walked up the three stairs to the main apartment complex doors and grasped the handle, fishing in her pocket for keys that she didn’t have anymore. She cursed lightly and looked around, wondering how Alex expected her to get into her old apartment, when she spied a corner of paper sticking out of the call box.  
  
Maggie snickered as she read the bolded words on the outside of the note: “ _For Maggie’s eyes only. That means you, Brian._ ” Her old neighbour was harmlessly sweet, but always managed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and often stumbled into business that wasn’t his. The detective spared Brian a quick thought, wondering what he was up to now, before unfolding the note.  
  
**_Where we first met._**  
  
Maggie solved the clue in a heart beat.  
  
The aquarium. It was the place that had become her second home, as much as it had Alex’s. The place she found a family with Alex, Kara, and Lena. The place that helped her heal. The place that restarted her career as a detective.  
  
Maggie could never have expected the gravity of accepting that job as a night security guard.  
  
The detective pulled into the aquarium parking lot and spotted a large sign with a painted arrow directing her inside. A mix of utilitarian black arrows and glittery, doodled neon coloured ones (she suspected Kara helped in the decorations) led Maggie through the many exhibits to Gertrude’s tank.  
  
Maggie suspected this moment from the second she read the first clue, but still was not prepared for the scene laid out in front of her.  
  
Strings of lights decorated the outdoor tank and bleachers, casting the area in starlight. Alex Danvers stood in the center of it all, wearing a dress that made Maggie’s mouth go dry.  
  
“Hey, you,” greeted Alex softly.  
  
Maggie almost didn’t trust her voice, but words spilled out none the less. “Wow, you’re breathtaking.”  
  
Alex blushed, cheeks matching the red of her dress. She laughed nervously, a love-struck smile growing steadily wider. “You solved my clues, huh? I knew you were the best detective in the world.”  
  
It was Maggie’s turn to blush. “That was some scavenger hunt, Danvers.”  
  
“I… I couldn’t think of a better way,” said Alex shifting from foot to foot, wringing her hands.  
  
It didn’t take a detective to notice how nervous the scientist was. “Alex, I—” started Maggie in an attempt to calm down the doctor.  
  
The scientist gathered Maggie’s hands in her own, silencing the detective. Alex locked eyes, confidence growing, and began to speak. “All those firsts I mentioned. Our first kiss, our first apartment, even our first fight… I’ve always known, but organizing this has made me realize more than ever that I want to have more firsts with you. I never want to stop having firsts with you.”  
  
Maggie blinked, tears pricking at her eyes. She was speechless, hoping that her expression conveyed all the love she shared.  
  
Alex bent to one knee slowly, the action causing a gentle splash of water behind her as Gertrude swam up and leaned over the tank. The scientist removed the bag dangling from the dolphin’s beak and extracted the small, black box within. Alex opened the box and Maggie couldn’t contain the small gasp of awe as the band of metal sparkled against the starlight.  
  
“Maggie Sawyer, will you marry me?” There was a beat of silence, the very concept of speech eluded the detective. “Please?” Alex’s voice, thick with emotion, broke through Maggie’s revere.  
  
Her answer was certain. The detective nodded, more times than necessary.  
  
The moment Alex had stumbled in her life, dressed in a lab coat, surrounded by the many marine creatures of the open ocean exhibit, Maggie knew a part of her was already at this point. That with every smile, every touch, they grew closer. That despite their differences, disagreements, and flaws, they fit together seamlessly. That with every morning, Maggie could see herself waking up next to Alex for the rest of her life.  
  
Maggie had not only fallen in love with Alex, but had fallen into a family. She couldn’t imagine her life without Kara or Lena. She’s certain her childhood self never thought she’d ever find such a warm, accepting space.  
  
Alex looked expectantly up at the detective, ring shaking ever so slightly in her hand.  
  
Maggie’s reply was only one word. But it held the weight of past memories together and the future of many more. Her voice cracked, the mountain of emotions resting on that single word. The word that held a promise of forever.  
  
“Yes.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _The End_
> 
>  
> 
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> 
> I don’t think I’ll ever get over that feeling of finishing a fic. It constantly astounds me how much support you lovely readers give. So, thank you. Thank you all for every click, kudo, comment, and bookmark. Thank you so very much.


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